Just a Replaceable Part
by kmac9
Summary: What if Vic took Walt's response to heart and believed that he thought she was replaceable? What if Walt was thrown by her reaction and put up a wall? Is it too late for these two?
1. Chapter 1

**I had hoped to get this first chapter of this new story written and uploaded sooner, but I was quite sick in January and needed to take a little hiatus from writing and reading fanfiction. Thankfully I'm on the mend, and was finally able to make some progress on turning this idea I've had bouncing around into my next story. **

* * *

_Henry,_

_Barlow is dead._

_Branch is still on suspension, and in counseling, and doing, surprisingly...better._

_Ferg is back at his old desk, but taking on more responsibility. Which isn't surprising given the reduced staff size. And given the fact he finally stood up to Walt and gained some respect. And given the current...situation._

_Cady is about to start a new job. One that is likely not going to be as exciting as the past months have been. Which is probably a good thing._

_Ruby goes about her business in her usual way. But with knowing looks and sympathetic eyes._

_Omar has not stopped by the office in a while. Maybe he's finally given up. Or maybe he's gearing up for a final last ditch attempt._

_Lucian has not been by to play chess with Walt since his brother's death. Walt is good at giving others the space they need. Or the space he needs. A little too good._

_Mathias has been surprisingly collaborative as of late, stopping by to share information or lending a hand when needed. No one has directly questioned his motives._

_Walt is being an asshole._

Vic looked up from her notebook she'd been writing in. Ferg was on the phone, and Ruby was busy in her corner. Vic looked down at the large stack of phone records she was supposed to be going through. At the highlighter she'd abandoned. With a small exhale of breath, she rubbed her hand over her eyes, returned her attention back to her notebook and raised her pen once again.

_Walt's door has been closed pretty much all the time these past couple weeks. He enters and makes most of his getaways through the private entrance at the back of his office, so sometimes his parked truck is the only sign he is in._

Vic looked out the window, registering Walt's empty parking spot. She didn't know how long he'd been gone. Well, that wasn't exactly true. His truck had been there about five hours ago, but hadn't been there the six times she'd checked since.

_Walt has put up a wall. He is out of the office much of the time. In the rare times he is in, he typically avoids eye contact. Becomes a master of one word answers and aloofness. He steps out of his office only to call out a request to Ruby or ask Ferg to join him at the scene for whatever call had just come in. The wall has been...impenetrable._

Vic brought her attention back to the phone records. She put down the pen and picked up the highlighter. Uncapping the lid, she began scanning the line items again.

"Holy shit, this is tedious." She hadn't realized how loudly she had spoken until Ferg turned around and looked her way. After a moment he said goodbye to the person on the other end and hung up the phone.

"Do you need some help, Vic? I could take a break from these calls and review some of those if you want."

Vic wanted to give him the whole stack. Or maybe throw it out the window.

"No, that would be unfair to you. And it would mean that TWO of us might die of boredom. Walt can't afford to be down a pair of deputies."

"Well, on the bright side, only two more days to go."

Vic looked up from the stack at Ferg's smiling face. A nod was all she could muster.

Ferg got up from his desk and walked closer to hers. "Excited about tonight?"

"Sure." That wasn't exactly true either.

"Branch might show up. At least that's what Cady said." Ferg paused a moment. "You're ok with that, right? I guess we should have asked."

Vic thought about her last couple of calls from Branch. Remembered the unexpected apology and the air that had been somewhat cleared. "Yep. Not a problem. I think it will be good for him...hanging out with the gang."

At that moment Ruby came around the corner, grabbing their attention. Ferg stepped forward.

"Ferg that was Walt on the radio. He wants you to meet him at the hospital. Vic..." Ruby turned towards Vic's desk. "Walt wants to know if you've discovered anything in your review of the phone records."

"Tell Walt he can call me directly if he wants to know." Vic swiveled back towards her desk.

There they were again. Ruby's sympathetic eyes. Vic did her best to ignore them, but felt her own eyes smart. She blinked a few times, and shook her head, trying to refocus.

Walt was being stubborn as hell. She could match him at his own game.

Ferg turned towards Vic. "I guess I'll see you later at the Pony."

Vic looked up and forced a smile. "Yep, see you there."

He gave a half-cocked grin and then headed out the door.

Vic looked out the window, seeing Ferg appear on the street below, get into his car, and then pull out from behind her truck. Now her parking spot was the only one that was filled. Her vehicle looking just as isolated as she'd been feeling as of late.

After a few more minutes of reviewing the phone records, Vic couldn't take it anymore and stood up to stretch her legs. She looked around the room, eventually landing on Walt's closed door. With a glance towards Ruby's desk area, Vic headed towards Walt's office. She turned the handle, stepped in and closed the door behind her. She took in the room, not bothering to turn on the light.

_"Yeah, well, sometimes the way your husband chews his oatmeal is motive enough."_

_"Vic. You and your...husband have been through a lot."_

_"Yeah, we have. He's also demanding that I give you my two weeks' notice, and, uh, quit my job."_

_Silence._

_"Ok."_

_"Ok? I just tell you that Sean is demanding that I quit, and that's all you have to say?"_

_"Well I recall you're not someone who likes to be told what to do."_

_"I also don't like being treated like a replaceable part."_

_"I understand this is...this is a big decision for you."_

_"And what is it for you?"_

_A pause._

_"Uh. Well this department has lost and hired deputies before."_

_"I'm so glad we could have this little heart-to-heart."_

Vic felt the sting of tears in her eyes as she stood in Walt's office and recalled their conversation. She gave a leg of the nearby chair a kick and then turned on her heels. Once outside Walt's office she dropped down into her seat and placed her forehead down on her desk, again thinking back to that day.

_Hurt and confused by Walt's words, Vic slammed his door behind her and almost ran into Ruby._

_"Are you ok, Vic?" Ruby's sympathetic eyes were directed right at her._

_"That man can be such an ass sometimes." She decided anger might be the best way to ward off the tears that were threatening to spill. _

_Ruby's eyes stayed on her. Not wanting to see if Ruby's sympathy would turn into pity, Vic averted her gaze._

_"I'm ok Ruby. Just frustrated."_

_Ruby paused a moment longer, and then turned and opened Walt's door. Vic heard her tell Walt that George Linder's daughter had just called, but couldn't focus on the rest of what she told him. She looked over at Ferg's empty seat. Ferg was out confirming alibis, a task he had begrudgingly taken on. A task that Vic felt she'd rather be doing right now. She felt both the tears and anger bubble up again, so she reached down, grabbed her laptop from her desk, stuffed it in her backpack and headed out the door._

_At the top of the stairs she paused and rubbed a finger under each eye. She didn't want any tears to be visible in case she ran in to someone on the way out. Ruby's sympathy was about all she could take. Although, after the last couple of days, she should be allowed to lose it a bit. Being held hostage and terrorized. Watching Walt put his life on the line for her. Having her husband demand she give her two weeks' notice. Learning Branch had been on her computer and had read her letter to Walt about him. And now this. _

_God. She was even pitying herself._

_When she reached street level she paused. Darkness had settled in, and the street had gone quiet, as most of the local citizens were back in their houses, as they should be at this time of night. As she should be, instead of giving her time to work late for a man who didn't appreciate her. Who apparently didn't need her._

_She crossed the road and went around to the driver side of her vehicle. Opening the door, she tossed her backpack on to the passenger seat. She looked up towards Walt's office window. The lights were still on, but Walt was not in sight. She couldn't tell if she was relieved by this or not._

_She sank into her seat, closed the door and sat for a moment, breathing deeply. After calming down a bit, she pulled out of her spot and started to drive. Without really remembering how she got there, she found herself turning on to her street. The tears in her eyes were threatening to spill again, so she pulled over and put the truck in park. Wiping her eyes, Vic pulled her phone out and dialed._

_Sean answered on the second ring. "Did you quit yet?"_

_Vic immediately hung up. _

_"Jackass."_

_Putting her truck back in drive, she made a U-turn, her tires scorching a path she hoped her husband could hear. A little while later she pulled into the parking lot of the Red Pony. Taking her backpack with her, Vic exited her truck and walked towards the entrance._

_Henry was chatting with a customer, but he briefly looked up when Vic entered. She glanced around the room, suddenly overwhelmed by the number of people there. Paralyzed, she closed her eyes._

_"Are you looking for someone?"_

_Vic opened her eyes to find the bar owner in front of her._

_"No. I just wanted to be someplace that wasn't the office and wasn't my house, but I don't think that place is here." _

_Henry eyes traversed her face and then dropped to her wrist as he took note of her injuries. Vic wondered if he had heard what had happened up at the compound. _

_"Would you like to hang out in my office for a while? It would be a little less chaotic."_

_Once again, Vic glanced around the bar before bringing her eyes back to Henry's._

_"Ok." _

_She followed Henry across the room and in to his office._

_"Feel free to sit at my desk or the couch, wherever you feel most comfortable."_

_"Thanks."_

_Henry looked at her for a moment and then left the room._

_Vic stood still. Exhausted. The day...the last couple of days...catching up with her. Although she was exhausted, her brain was on overdrive and would not let her rest. She passed over the couch and headed for Henry's desk. She placed her backpack on the floor and pulled out the chair._

_Once seated, Vic put both elbows on the desk, placed her face in her hands, closed her eyes and began to rub her temples._

_How could Walt be so callous? After putting his own life at risk in exchange for her safety. After letting her sob in his arms at the hospital. How could he imply that she could so easily be replaced? That she meant so little to him, that he didn't care if she left the department?_

_Vic opened her eyes, her view landing on her backpack. She leaned down, unzipped the bag and pulled out her laptop. Placing the laptop in front of her, Vic lifted the lid and turned it on._

_She stared at the screen for a moment, her fingers hovering above the keyboard, and then opened a blank document and began to type._

_She was startled by the sight of a grilled cheese sandwich being placed in front of her. She looked up to see Henry, looking down at her with soft eyes and a warm expression. Warm without pity. She hadn't even heard him enter. She hadn't realized how engrossed she had been in her writing._

_"I thought you might be hungry, and in need of some comfort food."_

_He placed a beer down next to the plate._

_"Thanks, Henry." She eyed the beer, wondering if alcohol would be a good thing right now._

_"Completing some paperwork?"_

_"Nope." Vic decided one beer was probably safe and picked up the bottle before bringing her eyes back up to Henry's. "I'm writing two letters that I will never send. One is affectionately titled 'Dear Asshole' and the other 'Dear Jackass.' "_

_The corners of Henry's mouth lifted._

_"And Walt is...?"_

_"The asshole. And my husband is the jackass."_

_"Can I help with anything? I am good at pointing out Walt's shortcomings."_

_Vic gave out a quick laugh. "I bet you are! You've had forty years of practice. I don't know how you put up with him sometimes."_

_"I have had forty years of practice." The warmth in his eyes radiated down at her. She could use a friend right now, but sharing personal matters and asking for help didn't come easy for her._

_"Would you go over to the office and give Walt a slap? Maybe stop by my house as well?"_

_"I would if I could." Henry gestured towards his ankle monitor. "If you send either of them my way I will give them a stern talking to."_

_"I may take you up on that offer."_

_Henry paused for a moment._

_"Have you thought about giving each of them the letters you are writing?"_

_Vic glanced down at her screen, taking in some of the words she had written. At her honesty. Her transparency. Her stomach churned at the thought of sharing these truths. With either of them. At the vulnerability it would entail._

_"Nope. It's just my way of venting."_

_"You should try handwriting the letters. That can be even more cathartic."_

_Vic smiled._

_"Let me know if there is anything I can do to help, or if you need another beer, or something else to eat." Henry turned to leave._

_"Henry, how late is the Pony open tonight?"_

_With the door propped open, Henry looked back at her. "You can stay as long as you need, Vic." He smiled and then let the door close behind him._

_Vic's cell phone suddenly rang, Sean's name appearing on the screen. He was probably calling to ask her why she was still at work, and whether she had given her two weeks' notice yet. Her anger bubbled up again. She ignored the call and returned to her letters._

Vic picked her head up off her desk where it had been resting against her notebook and looked up at the clock. She picked up the highlighter and turned back towards the stack of phone records. Another hour of going through the stack in front of her and she might actually start looking forward to tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

**If you haven't already guessed, this story will diverge from the TV storyline. I thought I'd provide a little context before this next chapter.**

**Events that occurred on the show that have also happened in this story: the situations with Ridges, Nighthorse, Branch and Barlow have occurred. Henry has also been proven to be innocent and Walt has scattered Martha's ashes. All of these situations occurred as they did on the show, and in this story the events of _Ashes to Ashes_ happened a little before the flashback scene you will read in this chapter.**

**What occurred on the show that did not happen in this story: that awkward scene between Vic and Sean in bed during _Harvest_ did not happen in this story. Sean sending the divorce papers to Walt to serve to Vic, like he did in _Counting Coup_, did not occur. As such, Walt has not told Vic that he wants her to stay in this story.**

**In this story, Barlow died (we obviously don't know the outcome on the show). Also in this story, Henry went on a road trip once he gained his freedom. The letter that Vic is writing to Henry in her notebook at the beginning of the first chapter of this story is Vic providing details of some of the things that have happened since he left town.**

**Hopefully I've set enough context for what is going to unfold in the upcoming chapters.**

* * *

Cady sat back in her chair. "We need to shake things up in here. Change the music. Anybody have any money for the jukebox?" She was already looking through her purse.

Vic pulled out a five dollar bill but Cady refused it when she offered it to her.

"Tonight's on us." Cady smiled as she successfully located a few dollars.

"Well, at least let me go get the change from the bar. I need to get up and go to the restroom anyway." Vic stood and took the money from Cady's hand before she could refuse.

Cady pushed her chair back. "I've got a few quarters on me, so I'm going to make some selections to get us started. What are you up for hearing?"

Vic looked over her shoulder as she headed to the bar. "Some kickass 80s rock."

Cady smiled. "I'm on it!"

Vic swiveled towards Cady, raised her fist in the air and then turned on her heels, almost colliding with Henry.

"Henry! You're back!

"I returned last night. And just in time, it seems. I heard the news."

"Cady tell you?"

Henry nodded. "And Walt confirmed."

Vic scanned the stools at the bar half-hoping, half-dreading to find Walt. She tried to hide her disappointment from Henry as her eyes returned to his.

"How was your road trip?" She knew Henry recognized her diversionary tactics, but he played along.

"It was good to be gone, and now it is good to be back."

"Where did you go?"

"Here and there. Chicago in the end."

"And how does it feel to be proven innocent? To be free? You hit the road before I got a chance to talk to you after they dropped the charges."

"The feeling is indescribable. I will not take my freedom for granted again, that is for certain."

"Well I'm glad you're back. We could use a voice of reason around here."

Henry arched an eyebrow in curiosity, but Vic did not expand further.

"Hey we need some quarters for the jukebox. Can you get some change for me?" Vic held up the cash in her hand and then gave it to Henry. "I need to make a run to the restroom. I'll pick up the quarters on my way back."

Vic turned to leave but then swung back towards Henry. "I forgot to tell you. I took you up on your suggestion, and started handwriting my letters. I'm actually keeping them in a notebook. You're right, writing the letters by hand is even more cathartic then typing them up."

"I am assuming you are still not sharing them with the people to whom you are writing."

"Hell no."

She heard Henry's laughter as she made her way to the restroom.

XX

Vic exited the restroom and walked right into Walt, who was heading into the men's room.

Surprised, Vic stopped in her tracks. "Hey."

"Hey."

"You came. I didn't think you would."

His eyes went to her hands and she realized she was playing with her wedding ring. She dropped her hands, but not before his gaze fell to his boots.

After a pause, Walt looked up. "I..."

"Excuse me." The interruption came from a woman behind Walt looking to get to the women's restroom. Walt dropped his eyes, stepped to the side to let the woman pass, and then headed into the men's room without another glance in Vic's direction.

Vic stared at the closed door to the men's room for a moment. She considered following Walt in and letting him have it. Cornering him until he would talk to her. She tried to think back to the last time they'd had an actual conversation...or something that even resembled a conversation.

_Vic looked up as Walt walked in to the office and hung his hat on the rack near Ruby's desk. _

_"Any messages, Ruby?" _

_"Good morning to you too, Walter."_

_A small smile briefly lit Walt's face._

_"No messages. It's been a quiet morning."_

_"Good to hear."_

_Vic picked up her phone, pretending to be on a call when Walt walked by her desk. He nodded in her direction and then headed into his office. She held her breath a few moments._

_She heard the sound of Walt's chair pushing back and a small crash, followed by silence._

_"Vic! Get in here." _

_Vic hung up the phone she was still holding up to her ear and headed towards Walt's office. _

_"Don't lose your cool," she murmured to herself just before entering._

_She stepped into the room, deciding silence might be her best approach to staying calm. The lamp on Walt's desk has been knocked over, and some papers were scattered on the floor. Walt seemed oblivious to this._

_"What is this?" He was standing beside his chair, holding up a piece of paper._

_Vic remained silent, lifting her chin ever so slightly and placing her hands on her hips._

_Walt stepped closer and placed his fingertips on the desk. "You're doing what Sean told you to do and quitting?"_

_Vic shifted her weight to her other foot and pulled her shoulders further back. "I'm not quitting because Sean told me to."_

_The look on Walt's face told her he didn't believe her. "Is that so?"_

_"We decided...Sean took the job in Australia. He's heading over this Thursday. I'll be leaving at the end of next week."_

_Walt's mouth opened slightly, like he had something to say, but he made no sound._

_"I thought you said that Sean and I should...make the decision that we needed to make. And we did."_

_Walt sat down. Tucked his lower lip in against his teeth._

_"Plus, you said you are experienced at hiring new deputies, so my departure should be no big deal...for the department. I'm...replaceable."_

_Walt continued to look at her without saying a word. Vic couldn't tell what was going on behind those eyes._

_He looked down at his hands for a moment, before looking back up at her. "When is your last day?"_

_"A week from Friday."_

_Another pause. His eyes drifted to the window. "Ok."_

_"Ok." When it appeared Walt had nothing further to add, she turned and left the room, closing the door behind her._

That conversation a week-and-a-half ago hadn't been much but it had at least been two-way, unlike the one-sided crap she had been putting up with since.

Before she could convince herself not to, Vic pushed open the door and walked into the men's restroom.

Walt saw Vic in the mirror as he washed his hands at the sink. "Vic. What are you doing in here?" He looked around as if he was taking in his surroundings for the first time, and didn't know if there was anyone else in the bathroom with him.

"Walt. I'm sick of this crap. Why are you even here tonight if you are just going to continue to ignore me?"

Walt was clearly uncomfortable. "I was invited."

"You're here because your daughter told you to come, but you are clearly not here for me. Don't you even care that I'm leaving? That tomorrow's my last day at work? Oh wait...that's right. I don't mean anything to you. I'm replaceable. You'll hire another deputy to fill my spot in no time."

Suddenly the door opened, and another customer walked in. Vic put up her hand, her palm facing him, and he stopped in his tracks. "Sheriff's department business going on in here. Please step out for a moment."

Walt finished drying his hands. "You can stay. We're done."

Vic glared at Walt but he didn't look up at her. She dropped her hand, and with a small shake of her head, left the restroom and headed back to the bar to get the quarters from Henry.

XX

From the pool table, Vic tried her best not to look at Walt where he sat on a stool at the end of the bar. She was failing miserably.

Vic threw back the rest of her beer, stepped closer to Cady and handed her cue stick to her. "I'm going to get another drink. Want anything?"

Cady turned towards Vic. "I'll take another beer." She looked over to Branch and Ferg, who were standing on the other side of the table, sticks in hand. "You guys want another beer?"

Ferg smiled. "Sure." Branch nodded.

"Four beers, coming up." Vic looked over to their table. "Hey Ruby, do you want another ginger ale?"

Ruby looked up from her conversation with two women seated at the next table over. "Nothing more for me, Vic, thank you."

"Ok. Be right back."

Vic walked through the crowd towards the bar, pausing when she realized Henry was down at Walt's end. Taking a deep breath, she saddled up to Walt's left side, leaving some space between them.

Leaning into the bar, she placed her empty beer bottle before her. "Hey Henry. Can I get a water and another round of beers for the four of us?"

Vic glanced to her right where Walt stared at the beer in his hands.

She rolled her eyes, looked back at Henry and threw a thumb in Walt's direction. "You better get another beer for this party pooper. He's really bringing down the vibe we're going for in here."

Henry looked up from the glass he was filling with water and smiled. "I am not sure a beer would help. Walt is not handling your pending departure very well."

Vic's eyes went big. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Walt glare at Henry and then take a sip of beer. Vic picked up the glass of water Henry placed before her and downed it.

When Henry placed four longnecks on the bar she handed over a twenty. Henry put a hand up.

"These are on the house."

Vic gave Henry a grin. "Thanks!" She grabbed the bottles and headed back to the others.

When she reached the pool table, she handed over the beers and took her cue stick from Cady.

Distracted, she stole looks over to where Walt and Henry were deep in conversation, instead of concentrating on the game.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cady at her side, looking at her.

Vic turned towards her. "Sorry...did you ask me something?"

Cady looked over at the bar and then back at Vic. "Did my dad or Henry say something to you while you were up at the bar?"

"Say something?"

"You haven't really been focused on our game since you returned, so I didn't know if they had said something to upset you."

"Upset me? No. I was just..." She wanted to tell Cady that Walt had upset her by not saying anything. She wanted to talk to somebody about it, but she couldn't. "I was just thinking about the fact that I am leaving in a few days."

Cady stepped closer to Vic. "Are you nervous about the move? About leaving?"

"I think I'm...apprehensive...about starting over again." Although this wasn't the most pressing issue on her mind right now, she was telling Cady the truth.

"Yeah, starting over can be hard...even when it's coming back to a place you've lived before. But it's something we sometimes need to do for those we love..." Cady returned to the side of the pool table, considering her next shot.

Vic had forgotten how much Cady had given up to come back to Durant for her father. And how Walt had pushed his daughter away for a while.

"How about you Cady? Ready to start your new job on Monday?"

Cady pulled back from leaning over the table to face Vic. "I guess you would say I'm a little apprehensive as well."

Cady suddenly looked over Vic's shoulder, causing Vic to turn to see what Cady was focused on. Or who she was focused on, for there at the table, seated next to Ruby was Walt. His face was unreadable as he openly looked at the two of them.

Cady walked over to the table and sat down beside him. "Hey Dad! Glad you finally joined us." Cady reached over and snagged a fry from the plate he had brought with him.

Vic took a seat in her chair across from Walt, and lifted her beer to her lips. She decided not to give Walt the satisfaction of acknowledging his presence.

Ferg and Branch rejoined them at the table, and Vic watched Branch hesitate as his gaze fell upon Walt. Walt watched him silently, and then lifted his beer to his lips. Branch took this as his sign to sit down, which he did.

Cady leaned closer to Walt. "Did Henry tell you about his trip? Did he tell you about his truck breaking down?"

While Walt listened to his daughter, absorbed in the story she was sharing, Vic's eyes drifted to him of their own accord. She saw him give Cady a small smile when she said something that caused the rest of the table to laugh.

As the story continued, she saw his eyes drift to Branch. Branch was listening intently to Cady's story, and didn't notice Walt's eyes on him. Vic saw a glimmer of pain flash across Walt's eyes, and then it was gone. His expression was blank again. But Vic knew that behind the mask that Walt worked to keep in place was something not yet healed. Something still raw since the day Walt learned the truth about Barlow.

Vic dropped her eyes as if she had seen something she wasn't supposed to see. Lifting her hands from her lap, she placed her forearms on the table, took a breath and then looked over at Cady. She willed herself to concentrate on what Cady was saying.

When Cady finished her story, Vic snuck another look at Walt. He suddenly looked her way and then paused.

She cocked her head. "What?

Walt's gaze dropped to her hands. She looked down and realized she had unconsciously reached across the table and grabbed some of his fries. Something she had done during many a lunch at the Busy Bee. She shrugged and then popped the fries in her mouth.

Walt slid his plate closer to her. Reminding herself that she was still pissed at him, she crossed her arms and sat back in her chair.

"So we are at that strip club in Odin, asking around about the guy in the photos we have in this Mennonite girl's case..."

Vic saw Walt tense, and her eyes jumped to Branch.

"Vic's up at the bar retrieving Walt's jacket, and I'm asking around, but nobody's talking. Vic says she can do better, and I bet her $20 she can't. The next thing I know, she takes that strip of photos and puts it in her mouth, and steps up on the platform and begins swinging around the pole. She starts getting applause and unzips her jacket. She's got everyone's attention. She's still swinging around that pole, when she stops, takes off her uniform shirt and throws it to me, and now stands there in just her tank top. She then tells her onlookers that the show is over until she gets a name for the man in the photo. Someone yells out a first name, and she slides up to him and he gives her a full name. Vic then jumps down, struts over and tells me to 'pay up bitch.'"

Vic grinned. "That was the easiest $20 I made off of you."

The group started laughing, and Cady turned to Vic with an eyebrow raised. "Was that a skill you listed in your resume when you interviewed for the job?"

Vic chuckled. "Absolutely. I think it's what clinched the deal. Walt's always looking for strong people skills in his deputies."

Cady laughed. Vic looked over at Walt, but his head was slightly bowed, his jaw clenched.

"Speaking of people skills, Vic's particular skills came into play when the FBI swooped in when Walt went after those escaped prisoners."

Vic turned towards Ferg but noticed Walt was still not looking up.

"This agent comes in to the office...what was his name, Vic?" Ferg looked over at Vic with a quizzical expression.

Vic paused. "Special Agent Towson."

"Right. Agent Towson. Anyway, Towson comes in saying that due to weather conditions, they have to hold off on a search and rescue until the storm lets up. He demands all requests and activities go through him. Vic's a bit...pissed, because he's basically going to let Walt freeze to death. Vic asks if we can at least figure out what Walt is walking into, because she's concerned that this is all a set-up. Vic starts asking about his agents and contractors. Towson tells her he doesn't like her tone, but we can clearly see that she's just worried about Walt and doing her best to put the pieces together. We all were worried, but Vic was the one to stand up to the agent to try to get him to do something about it."

Vic noticed Walt look up at Ferg.

"The next morning, when I get into the office, Vic's sitting on the bench outside the front door. She tells me she's been kicked out, because she hit Towson."

Walt turned his head to look at Vic, and she registered a look of surprise in his expression.

"Apparently Towson told her that if she didn't leave, he was going to press charges. I started laughing, but at the same time I was kind of impressed."

Cady turned towards Vic. "What did Towson do to piss you off enough to hit him?"

Hesitating a moment, Vic sat up straight. "That morning I ask Towson what's going on. I get pissed because I learn they have a tracker and have known exactly where Walt is, but insist they can't get to him. I'm further pissed because I debriefed Towson on everything we knew, but they chose not to share this information with us. He goes through all the reasons it's too dangerous to go after Walt. He then yells at me to be patient, and opens Walt's office door to...dismiss me. I pause in front of him...and...punch him."

Cady's eyes were big as she glanced at Walt. "Wow...that's awesome."

Ferg smiled. "That's what I said when she told me."

Walt was openly looking at Vic, but she avoided his eyes.

"Dad. We need a story from you."

Walt briefly stayed on Vic, and then turned to the others around the table. Vic thought for a moment he was going to turn down Cady's request.

"Prior to the prisoners escaping, we were transporting one of the prisoners, Wayne Durrell, to hand him over to the FBI."

Vic looked at the label of the beer bottle in her hand.

"Vic was...uh...frustrated with me because I turned off the radio and wasn't...contributing enough to the conversation. She was complaining about being bored, when all of a sudden, there in front of us is...traffic...in the form of a buffalo blocking our way. Vic, in her impatience, yells out of the window for the buffalo to move." Walt turned his head towards Vic. "What did you say to the buffalo?"

Vic didn't even hesitate with her response. "Get out of the damn road."

"The buffalo, of course, doesn't move. Vic then throws open the door and...what did you hope to accomplish with that?"

Still not looking up, Vic shifted slightly in her seat. "I thought I could go and reason with the beast."

"Uh huh." Walt turned towards the other end of the table. "The buffalo charges at my truck, bashing into the front grill. Vic lets slip a few...choice words, but believes me when I tell her it is best to wait in the truck. It looks like the buffalo is guarding something, and then suddenly out comes a young white buffalo, crossing the street before us." Walt looked back over at Vic. "It was quite a sight. And a rare one at that."

Vic looked up and nodded, taking a sip. "Yes it was."

"And Vic's never made that mistake again."

"What? Putting your Bronco in harm's way of a protective or angry animal? Nope. You do enough damage to that truck of yours, I don't even have to bother trying."

The corners of Walt's mouth lifted, and Ferg laughed out loud.

When it was apparent that Walt was finished, the others continued with more stories, but Vic was not really listening. She was openly looking at Walt.

Walt was looking back at her. "Did you really punch that agent?" His voice was quiet so only she could hear.

Vic shrugged. "I can't believe Towson didn't tell you."

"He may have. But I was thawing out, and might have missed it."

A small smile lit Vic's face. "What can I say? He wasn't doing enough to find you, and it pissed me off. You know I can be a bit...impulsive."

"Yep. And determined."

Vic paused. "You didn't like how I obtained the name of the Mennonite girl's boyfriend, did you?"

Walt blinked and chewed on his lower lip. "Nope."

Vic stole another fry. "Why'd you choose the buffalo story?"

Walt raised his beer, took a sip and once again pushed his plate closer to her. "It was funny...seeing your reaction to the buffalo blocking our way. Plus the sight we saw...was a rare one. Special." Walt took another sip. "And, unlike me, you learn from your mistakes. I wanted the others to know that."

"Which mistake? The getting impatient and then doing something stupid part? The putting my life at risk part? I seem to make those mistakes again and again."

"Not the same ones. You don't repeat your mistakes. I should know. I make the same ones over and over."

Her brow creasing, Vic opened her mouth to speak but was distracted by Cady calling out her name. With a final glance Walt's way, she turned back to the group.

Cady was waving her hand towards the bar, trying to get Henry's attention. "Hey, Vic. It's your turn to share a few stories. And when you're finished, we're doing shots. It's not a proper send-off without shots."

XX

True to her word, Cady had ordered a round of shots. And then convinced the group to do another two.

Vic had to admit that she was enjoying herself more than she had expected to. The alcohol might have contributed. Not spending the night packing may have had something to do with it. Feeling like the group was on its way to being whole again likely played into it as well. Walt not ignoring her, at least for the moment, was definitely a factor, but she probably wouldn't admit it, since she had only barely admitted it to herself.

And then it hit her. This...all this...was ending. The group was not becoming whole...but fracturing. She was fracturing it. It was one of the reasons she hadn't been looking forward to coming tonight. Tonight was acknowledgement that this, soon, was going to be over. When only a short while ago it seemed like things were just beginning.

Vic could feel the sting of fresh tears and knew she needed to leave. She blinked a few times, and then stood quickly.

"I know it's my party, but I've got to bail. I still have packing to do tomorrow night, so I need to get some sleep."

Walt was watching her closely.

Cady looked up at her. "Are you ok to drive?"

Vic just wanted to get out of there, but she assessed how much alcohol she had consumed and how tired she was. "Probably not..."

"I'll give you a ride home."

Vic looked across the table at Walt and squinted at him. "Really?"

"Yep."

"Are you ok to drive?"

"Yep. I've only had two beers."

"You're shitting me."

"Nope."

Vic paused, taking in his offer. "Ok."

XX

Vic woke to the sound of the passenger door opening. Walt was standing outside the truck, beside her seat. When she realized they were in her driveway she sat up straight.

"Crap. Sorry. I've been staying up late packing every night this week, and I'm just exhausted."

She fumbled with her seatbelt until she was able to get the buckle to release. Walt stepped forward and took the container of food Henry had given her from her lap, and then stepped back to give her room to get out. He closed the door behind her and then followed her to her front door.

As Vic pulled her keys out of her pocket, they slipped and fell to the ground.

"Shit."

They both made a move to pick them up, but Walt got there first. When they stood, and he handed the keys over to her, his hand stayed on hers until she looked up.

"Vic...," he started.

She looked at him expectantly.

Walt stood close, and the look he was giving Vic was unnerving, as he had dropped the mask he usually wore. It was a look that could swallow her up, if she let it. She held her breath and felt the quickening thud of her heart beating in her chest.

Suddenly the lights of a passing car flashed across them. Walt seemed startled and stepped back. The mask went back in place. He paused before handing the food container to Vic, and then looked at her front door for a moment.

"Good night, Vic."

He dropped his eyes, took two steps back and then turned and headed to his truck. Vic watched his vehicle until it disappeared from sight.


	3. Chapter 3

Vic pulled her truck into its parking spot in front of the Sheriff's department.

She paused in front of the door to the building. Took her time climbing the steps. Turned the key, and then hesitated with her hand on the door knob of the office door before entering.

She was the first to arrive. She stood in front of Ruby's desk for a moment and looked around. Next, she stopped in front of Ferg's desk, picking up his cherished picture of him and Walt.

She walked over to her desk, sat down on the edge, reached into her drawer and took out her hockey puck. She flipped it back and forth between her hands.

She looked up at the sound of the front door opening, surprised to see Walt walking in. He paused when he saw her, and then walked over and put his hat on the rack. Like he had been doing it every day that week. Which they both knew he hadn't. He lowered his hand and pushed the swinging door open, crossed the distance to Vic and held up a to-go cup of coffee.

She reached out and took it from him. "Thanks."

She brought the cup to her lips for a sip, and then lowered it. "And thanks...to you and Henry...for dropping off my truck this morning."

He nodded before taking a sip of his own coffee and then leaned back against Branch's desk. "How are you feeling?"

After drinking too much last night? About leaving in a couple days? About the fact that he was actually acknowledging her presence and initiating a two-way conversation? About that moment between them outside her front door?

"Fine." Or not even close to it.

She turned her head to look at him a little more closely. Vic thought he looked tired. His posture. His eyes. "You look like shit. Not sleep well?"

He bowed his head for a moment. "Nope."

She waited to see if he would elaborate. He didn't.

After a moment he looked back at her. "All packed up?"

"Nope."

"When do the movers come?"

She continued passing the hockey puck back and forth between her hands. "Tomorrow morning at seven. It's going to be a long night. I may give up packing at some point and say 'the hell with it' and trash whatever's left."

He half-smiled as he looked down at the floor. "If you need to leave early today to ensure you can get it done..."

Did he want her to leave early? "That's not necessary. In fact, I need a break from packing. Seeing all those boxes and empty walls sucks."

He nodded. "When's your flight?"

"Late Sunday morning. Out of Billings. Henry's going to give me a ride."

Walt glanced over at her. "I can give you a ride. If it would be easier...for Henry...so he can be at the Pony to open up."

She furrowed her brow as she took in his offer. Two offers to give her a ride in two days. After almost two weeks of doing everything he could to steer clear of her. "Uh...I'll talk to Henry and let you know."

Walt held her gaze, and after a moment Vic felt she needed to look away from those blue eyes so she could think more clearly. She focused on the hockey puck in her hands, and sensed that Walt's eyes were also following its movement.

"Vic, I'm going to m—"

They were both startled by the front door opening.

Ruby stepped in and looked over at the two of them with mild surprise.

"Good morning. You two got in early. I wasn't expecting anyone to beat me in since I was the first to leave last night."

Vic glanced over at Walt, and then back at Ruby, letting out a quick laugh. "I'm here to impress. Thought I'd start doing that, what with it being my last day and everything."

Ruby smiled in Vic's direction, but Vic noted that the smile didn't reach her eyes.

Walt cleared his throat and straightened, stepping away from Branch's desk. "Well, I...uh...have some calls to make."

His eyes briefly connected with Vic's before he strode towards his office. She noticed he left his office door open when he stepped inside.

Ruby picked up the phone to check her messages, so Vic took a seat at her desk.

She looked over at Branch's empty desk. His nameplate the only sign it was still his. Ferg had put Branch's nameplate back on his desk when he had made the move back to his own desk.

The sound of the front door opening pulled Vic from her thoughts. She looked over to see a man she didn't recognize enter, followed by Mathias. Mathias bypassed the first man, who had stepped up to Ruby's desk.

"What brings you here Mathias? Did you hear it was my last day, and come over to say a tearful goodbye?" She grinned at the visual of Mathias shedding tears for her.

Mathias rolled his eyes.

"Ooh...or are you gunning for my job, and you're here to get in my good graces so I put in a good word with Walt for you?"

Mathias smiled sarcastically, crossing his arms. "You done?"

"Or...are you feeling guilty for the involvement of some of your people in Walt's wife's death, and you've been trying to make amends?"

Mathias stopped smiling. "Some of your people were responsible as well."

Vic pursed her lips. "They were never my people. I never went to bat for them or refused to get involved in investigating their involvement."

Mathias uncrossed his arms and then re-crossed them. "I am here to say goodbye. And to offer my assistance until Walt finds your replacement."

Vic cocked her head to the left, narrowing her eyes as she took him in. "Very...neighborly of you."

"That's what neighbors are for."

Vic snorted. "I'll tell Walt to remind you of that whenever your indifference flares up again."

Mathias looked at Vic for a moment. "Walt have any candidates yet for your position? Your department doesn't have the best...reputation right now. I imagine he might be having trouble even finding anyone interested."

Vic looked over at Walt's half-open door, before returning to look at Mathias. "I'm just not that easy to replace, Mathias. It may take some time to find someone even remotely suitable."

Mathias gave her a closed-lip smile. "If you say so..."

He looked over at Ferg's desk. "How does Ferg feel about being the last man standing?"

"He can handle it, but why don't you ask him yourself."

At that moment Ferg pushed the small swinging door open and stepped into the room.

"Ask me what?" Ferg looked back and forth between Vic and Mathias.

Mathias paused as he continued to look at Vic. "Nothing." He turned to leave, but at the swinging door he hesitated, his hand holding the door open. "Let Walt know about my offer." He exited without a glance back.

Vic called after him, "I've got some phone records that need going through, if you're up for it. Stimulating work...really."

Ferg looked over at Vic in confusion. "What was that all about? What offer?"

Vic continued to look in the direction Mathias had left.

"Mathias wanted to let us know he's available if we need him...while we're short-staffed. Or I guess, while you're short-staffed, since I'll be leaving." Vic paused, looking over at Ferg. "If you do need another set of hands, you should call him. Take advantage of his...generosity, which may be fleeting."

Ruby suddenly appeared around the corner, carrying her usual post-it notes and papers.

Ferg smiled. "Hi, Ruby."

Ruby waved a greeting but did not pause. She knocked on Walt's door, stepped in, and then closed the door behind her.

Ferg raised his eyebrows in Vic's direction.

Vic shrugged, and then sat back in her seat and put her feet up on her desk. She proceeded to toss the puck in the air and catch it on its downward path.

"You gonna be ok when I leave, Ferg? Jury's still out on Branch returning, so it may be a little while before there's another deputy on board to pick up the slack."

"I...I hope so." Ferg didn't look too confident. "Do you think Walt's going to lift Branch's suspension? Last night, Branch seemed...different. Better."

Vic caught the puck and sat up in her seat.

"Yeah, I think Branch is doing better, as well, but I know it's not that simple. I don't know what Walt is going to do, or when he's going to do it."

Vic looked over at Walt's door. Ruby had been in there a while.

Ferg pulled out his chair and took a seat. "You ready for the big move? I never asked you, but have you been to Australia before?"

Vic glanced back at Ferg. "Nope...and nope."

"What are you going to do when you first get there?"

"I haven't really thought about what I'm going to do once I leave. I've been so distracted by...with packing up my shit and everything...I haven't really thought about what comes next."

"Has Sean found somewhere for you two to live yet?"

Vic once again looked at Walt's closed door. After a moment of silence, she realized Ferg had stopped talking and must have asked a question he was waiting for her to answer. "What?"

"Has Sean picked out a place to live?"

"Oh...uh...his company secured some housing...as part of his re-location package."

"Nice..."

At that moment, Ruby stepped out of Walt's office and closed the door.

Vic stood up and stepped in her path. "Hey Ruby. Anything going on?"

Ruby jumped in surprise. She paused, her eyes softening as she took Vic in. "Just relaying his morning messages." Ruby looked back at the closed door. "Walt just needed some privacy...to finish up his calls."

Ruby headed back to her desk.

Vic stood staring at Walt's door. She was tempted to check in on him herself. She turned towards Ferg, and then back towards Walt's closed door. "Do you think something's up?"

Ferg followed Vic's line of sight. "I don't know. He's had his door closed all week, so I'm not sure if today is any different."

"It felt different this morning...," Vic whispered to herself.

She sat back down at her desk.

"Hey Vic, do you need a box so you can pack up your desk? I thought I saw an empty one over by Ruby."

"Oh...uh...sure."

Ferg got up and returned with a box, which he handed over to her.

"Kind of depressing. Packing up. My damn house has been depressing to look at all week."

She placed the box on her desk and opened the bottom drawer. She began to pull items out, placing some in the box and throwing others in the trash or placing them on Branch's desk. When she'd emptied the drawer she stood to address the top drawer. Out of habit, her eyes gravitated to the parking spots out the window. She was surprised to see Walt's truck gone.

"Dammit! He's at it again."

She walked over to his office and swung his door open, coming face-to-face with an empty room.

"Seriously, this disappearing shit has got to stop."

She stepped back in to the main room and started walking towards the front.

"Hey Ruby, any idea where Walt went? I thought he was just making phone calls, but his truck is gone."

Ruby looked up from her computer. "He might have had to follow up in person with one of the individuals he was on the phone with."

"Do you know who he was talking to?"

Ruby looked at Vic for a moment.

"I don't know why Walt stepped out or who he went to see. He'll probably be back soon, or radio in, at least."

"If he does...radio in...let me know. I want to give that man a piece of my mind."

Vic walked back to her desk and began tossing the remaining things from her drawer into the box.

After a few minutes of purging she stood up and walked to the door. "I'm heading to the Busy Bee for some breakfast."

XX

As Vic returned from the Busy Bee and approached the office, she noticed Walt's truck was still not out front.

"Vickie!"

Vic stopped in her tracks, just outside the door to the building. She pursed her lips and closed her eyes.

"Don't call me that." She hoped her irritation was evident.

She opened her eyes to see Omar before her, holding flowers.

"Omar, enough. I don't have the patience for this. I'm leaving, and that's that."

"I'm just here to say goodbye. And give you a going-away gift."

Vic looked at the flowers in his outstretched hand.

"Thank you." She hesitantly took the flowers.

"I will miss your feistiness. Working with the sheriff's department will never be the same for me once you're gone. Goodbye Vic."

Vic looked from the flowers to Omar's face. "'Bye Omar."

"You're going to miss me, Vickie," Omar called out over his shoulder as he walked away. "Let me know if you change your mind about staying."

XX

Vic checked the time on her cell phone. 1:37.

Her desk was packed up. Omar's flowers were in a vase that Ruby had pulled out. Vic had finished going through the phone records, and tying up some paperwork from a couple previous cases. She and Ferg had gone out after receiving a disturbance call, which made her hopeful her final day would actually provide a little excitement, only to find everything had resolved itself by the time they arrived and no one was talking.

Shortly after they arrived back at the office, Cady stopped by with sandwiches she'd picked up for lunch, and Ruby surprised Vic with a cake she'd baked.

And now it was 1:37. The day both dragging and wrapping up too quickly.

1:37. Over five hours since Walt had bolted. Headed off, to God knows where, to avoid one final day of being around her.

1:37. Just a few hours left before her time as a deputy was over.

Vic stood and pocketed her cell phone, before walking over to Ruby's desk.

"Hey Ruby, I'm going to step outside for a moment and get some fresh air."

She made her way quickly down the stairs, burst through the front door and stopped in her tracks. There was Walt's Bronco, parked in his spot.

"Seriously!"

Vic spun around, yanked open the door, stormed up the stairs and used Walt's private entrance to walk right into his office.

Walt looked up, surprised.

"Uh...Vic..."

Vic walked around his desk so that she stood in front of him. She looked directly at Walt, feeling a lump build in her throat as she did.

"I'm..." Her voice broke a little, so she stopped to clear her throat and start over. "I'm here for my exit interview. I want to make sure we have it, now, when you're still here, in case you have to leave the office again today."

Walt sat silently staring at her. "Exit interview?"

"Typically, when an individual leaves a company or organization, someone conducts a final interview. They ask the individual who is leaving questions like 'What is the reason you are leaving?', 'What have you liked about working here?', 'What could we improve about this place?', 'Is there anything we can do or say to get you to change your mind and stay?'"

Walt continued to stare at her.

Vic sat down in the chair across from him. "I'll start us off. Vic, why are you leaving the Absaroka County Sheriff's Department?"

She paused and then continued. "Thank you for asking. Sean and I discussed it, and we decided we needed a fresh start, which means I'm leaving Durant. As such, I cannot stay employed by this department any longer."

She paused again, looking directly at Walt. "Your turn to ask the next question."

Walt sat before her, still and unresponsive.

"Come on Walt." She pleaded with him with her eyes.

"What have you liked about working here?" His voice was low and she leaned forward to hear him better.

"Some of the cases have been surprisingly interesting and challenging. When I first started, I thought all we would be dealing with would be...typical small town stuff. But Absaroka County has the same challenges we had back in Philly. Race issues. Corruption. Greed. Murder."

Walt folded his hands in front of him on the desk.

"I've liked working with the people here. Everyone is focused on finding out the truth and getting justice. And I've learned some things I never expected to learn."

She paused a moment, and then steeled her gaze. "And up to a couple weeks ago, I would have said I liked partnering with the sheriff."

Walt blinked a few times. "And the last two weeks...what's changed for you?"

"The sheriff's been quite an asshole ever since I told him I would be leaving. Ignoring me. Excluding me."

"Maybe he's had a lot on his plate."

Vic again moved forward in her seat, both eyebrows slanting up. "He HAS had a lot on his plate. An incredible amount. I can't imagine going through what he's gone through recently, and bearing it all by himself."

Vic looked at Walt across his desk. The physical and emotional distance between them lately had been unbearable, so she stood, walked around to his side of the desk and leaned against the edge.

"But you've had a lot on your plate before, Walt, and you've never acted like this. With me, at least. And you would have shared some of that burden with me in the past. I used to be someone you confided in."

"Actually..." Vic shifted to look more directly at him. "You started behaving differently towards me before I gave my two weeks' notice. You've been pulling away for a while now."

"There's been a lot going on."

"I know, Walt. But that's when you should lean on others the most. I know Henry wasn't here these past weeks for you to turn to. And I know I could never fill his shoes. But I could...I could have been there for you. If you'd let me."

Walt looked up at her with an unreadable expression. He sat silently, taking her in. "And beside the asshole behavior of your boss, what do you think could be improved about this place?"

Apparently he had nothing further to say regarding that subject.

"A bit of modernization wouldn't hurt this department, and probably could help. My boss...the aforementioned asshole...could get a cell phone for example. To improve his communication with his co-workers...and not worry them so much when he can't be reached."

She turned and looked out the window. "And maybe he should be more of a team player." She focused back on Walt, who was focused on his hands. "To share the burden. So he doesn't have to do it alone."

She paused until Walt looked back up at her.

"And he shouldn't hold Barlow's betrayal against Branch. He isn't responsible for the decisions his father made. Branch is taking ownership for the things he did. He called me to apologize, and to talk about what he's been going through and the progress he's made. There's a calmness about him that hasn't been there in a long time. Maybe he's even calm now in a way he's never been. There isn't that pressure for him to live up to something anymore."

Walt unfolded his hands splaying his fingers across the surface of the desk. His left hand was near her hand, and Vic was tempted to reach out and put her hand on his. When she looked up at Walt, she saw that he was also looking at their hands.

"I know it's probably difficult, Walt. Seeing in Branch a walking reminder of Barlow and what he did. I saw how you looked at him last night. But you need to be able to separate the two. And I think you could be an incredible influence on Branch. He needs a role model in his life. Especially now. I think you should think about lifting his suspension...when you think he's ready to come back."

After a moment he looked back up at her, and they stared at each other. Vic was almost scared to take a breath in case it caused him to look away again. She noticed, for the first time, how much his left leg was bouncing up and down.

"Is there anything we can do or say to get you to cha—"

Before Walt could finish his question there was a knock on the door and Ruby walked in. Vic straightened and stepped to the side of the desk.

Ruby looked from Walt to Vic and then back to Walt. "Sorry to interrupt, but Tom Morris is here to see you, Walt. He says it's urgent."

Vic wanted Walt to tell Ruby that he needed a few minutes. That their conversation was equally critical.

Walt's eyes went to Vic's for a moment and then back over to Ruby.

"Send him in."

Ruby left, pulling the door shut.

Something sank in Vic, and she felt her shoulders sag. She took a final look at Walt and then walked to the door, pausing with her hand on the door knob. "By the way, Henry can still drive me on Sunday, so I won't need you." She exited the room and closed the door behind her.

* * *

**Walt and Vic are in need of some relationship mending…and it's coming. I promise :) It'll start in the next chapter, so stay tuned!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Shit. Shit. Shit."

Vic scrambled around looking for her wallet to pay the pizza delivery guy. When she had arrived home, frustrated by the day's events, she had tossed her keys and wallet, but couldn't remember where. They weren't in her usual place, and with all the boxes, no other place seemed like the next best spot. She then remembered she had immediately gone to her bedroom to change her clothes when she first got home, and made a dash upstairs. She looked around, finding the wallet where it had fallen off her nightstand into the box containing the items from her desk she'd brought home.

The doorbell rang again.

"Holy shit. Hold your horses. I'm coming."

She grabbed her wallet, ran downstairs, sidestepped a few boxes and pulled the door open.

"What the hell. Could you have a little patience—"

Vic stopped. Before her stood Walt, pizza box in one arm, beer and a grocery bag in the other. An unreadable expression on his face.

Schooling her features, she shifted her weight back and forth between her bare feet as she stood in the doorway. "Is that the pizza I ordered?"

"Yep. Jamie and I got here at the same time."

"How much do I owe you?"

Walt looked at her for a moment. "Nothing."

Vic glanced past Walt, to his truck in her driveway. Without another word, she turned and went inside, leaving the front door open behind her.

She headed up the stairs. There was a pause before she heard Walt follow her in and close the door. "Put it in the fridge. I ordered the pizza because I knew I would need food eventually, but I'm not hungry yet."

A few seconds later she heard the fridge open and the clank of the glass beer bottles knocking into each other as Walt put them on one of the shelves.

Vic stood a moment at the top of the stairs, wondering if Walt would follow her, but he did not appear, and she heard nothing further from the kitchen. She resisted the urge to go back downstairs, and instead grabbed an empty box and began to assemble it. After she taped the bottom, she headed to the bathroom and sat down on the floor in front of the cabinet.

As she reached into the cabinet and pulled out a couple bottles, she heard the stairs creak. Walt seemed to hesitate at the top of the stairs, but a minute later he appeared in the bathroom doorway. She looked up at him. He had removed his hat and boots, and seemed a bit uncomfortable standing there in his stripped down state. Or maybe it was being in her bedroom that made him uncomfortable. Or maybe it was something else altogether.

Vic placed the items in her hand in the box and stood up, her eyes running the length of the man standing before her. "I don't get to see you without your boots on very often. It's a little strange."

He looked down at his feet and then at hers. "I think I've only seen you in your bare feet a couple of times. I forget how short you are."

"I'm not short. You're just freakishly tall."

The corners of his mouth turned up. "I like your sweatshirt."

Vic looked down at the Broncos hoodie she was wearing. "I think I got this from one of Ruby's donation bags when I needed a change of clothes at the office one day. I kind of got attached." She looked down again. "To the sweatshirt...not the team. I'm still a loyal Eagles fan."

Walt nodded. His eyes stayed on the sweatshirt a moment longer until he realized he was staring and looked away.

Vic leaned back against the counter and watched him. He shifted his weight and looked like he didn't know what to do with his hands, as he placed both on his hips, and then removed them, and then placed his right hand on his hip again.

"Are you uncomfortable being up here?"

He dropped his eyes for a moment. "I didn't expect your stairs to lead right into your bedroom."

"That's what a bedroom loft is."

Walt sucked in his lower lip. "Yep."

"Well if you're going to stay, you're going to have to be comfortable up here, because my bedroom is what I have left to pack up before the movers get here tomorrow morning. And if you're going to stay for a while, you better lift a hand. You can start assembling the boxes behind you. Tape and scissors are next to the pile."

Vic sat back on the floor. After a moment of hesitation, Walt stepped into the bedroom and got to work. The sound of the tape being pulled and then applied to the boxes, along with items being tossed into the box in the bathroom were the only sounds between them for a while.

When her box was full, Vic stood and turned. Walt was back, standing in the doorway. She walked past him, put the box down on the floor against the wall in her bedroom, and then picked up one of the empty boxes he had assembled. She returned to the bathroom, dropped the box on the ground and then hoisted herself up to sit on the counter between the two sinks.

"Why are you here, Walt?"

He shifted his stance, looked to the side for a moment, and then brought his eyes back to hers.

"I…uh...I wanted to, uh...apologize. For...for being such an...asshole...these past weeks."

Vic looked at him, saying nothing.

"I didn't want us to...uh...to part ways like that. To have my, uh...my recent behavior negate...negate what we've built...between us these past couple of years."

Vic remained silent.

Walt was back to staring at the logo on her sweatshirt. "I'm sorry."

Vic watched Walt for a moment, waiting for more, but Walt appeared to be done. With an eye roll, she pushed herself off the counter and walked past him into the bedroom. She grabbed an empty box and turned and headed into the walk-in closet, placing it on top of two boxes she had previously packed and stacked against the back wall.

She looked over her shoulder when she sensed Walt in the doorway. "Is that it?"

"What?"

"Is that the extent of your apology? No explanation for why you behaved like an asshole? Just an 'I'm sorry,' and you expect me to what...forgive you? Go back to how things were before, as if nothing happened?"

Walt stood frozen before her, his eyes unfocused.

"Why are you really here, Walt?" Vic yanked a few shirts from their hangers and half-folded them before throwing them into the box.

He looked around the closet, noticing the empty sections that had been Sean's. "How is Sean doing? With the...move?"

Vic stared at Walt but he stayed focused on the empty shelves and hangers. "You didn't come here to talk about Sean."

Walt looked down at his feet. "Actually I did."

Vic squinted at him as she evaluated his response. "Why the hell do you want to talk about Sean?"

Walt finally looked at her. She saw an intensity there. And maybe some hurt, as well. "Where are you going when you leave here on Sunday? I don't think it's Australia."

Vic's eyes grew big. "What are you talking about?"

Walt removed a manila envelope he had folded and tucked into the back of his jeans. Vic's eyes were on the envelope as he handed it to her. "This arrived at the office today. Part of our job is to serve legal papers when the—"

"You mean Sean was a dick, and sent them to you to deliver to me."

"So you know what these are? You expected him to send them?"

Vic rubbed her hand across her eyes, her fingers landing on the bridge of her nose. "I didn't know exactly when he would send them, but yes...I know what they are. And I didn't expect him to send them to you to serve them to me, but apparently I pissed him off the last time we talked." She opened the envelope, pulled out the documents and skimmed the top page.

"Why did you lie to...us?"

Vic placed the documents back in the envelope and then walked out of the closet and put it on her bedside table. She returned to where she had been standing in the closet and pulled a nearby shirt off its hanger, looking down at it. "I didn't lie."

"You didn't tell us the truth. You told us you were moving to Australia, with Sean, for his new job. That the two of you decided to get a fresh start."

"I didn't tell you the whole truth, but I didn't lie. I never said I was moving to Australia. I just didn't correct anyone when they assumed I was."

Walt's brow furrowed slightly.

"I said that Sean and I decided we needed a fresh start. He decided to accept the job in Australia as his fresh start. And I decided not to join him as mine."

"If you are not going to Australia, why are you leaving Durant?"

She stared at the wall through the empty hangers. "You told me I was replaceable..."

"I never said those words."

"You made me feel like I was replaceable." Vic's hand tightened around the shirt she was holding, her knuckles going white. "The original reasons I moved out here aren't factors anymore. And if I didn't mean anything to you, then there's nothing here for me...no real reason to stay. Sean is getting a fresh start somewhere else. I thought maybe I needed to do the same."

"I...I didn't want to get in the way of things by telling you..." He stopped and looked down.

Vic's grip on the shirt in her hands loosened. "By telling me what?"

Walt looked back up. "If you aren't going to Australia on Sunday, where are you going?"

Vic folded the shirt and placed it in the box. She pulled another shirt down and focused on folding it. "Philadelphia. At least for a while, until I figure out what to do next."

Vic placed the shirt in the box and looked at Walt, who stood in the doorway, his blue eyes on her, following her movements. "Where did you go?"

Walt seemed confused by her question. "Where did I go?"

"After Ruby met with you this morning. I'm assuming she gave you my divorce papers, and then you disappeared. Where did you run off to?"

Walt's eyes drifted to her remaining hanging clothes. "I went to see Lucian."

Vic's forehead creased as she looked at him quizzically. "Lucian?"

"I haven't seen him in over a month."

"I know. But why did you need to see him this morning?"

Walt pulled his lower lip in for a moment and then released it. "I'm not good at dealing with some things...head on."

"You're kidding. I didn't know that about you."

Walt smiled at her sarcasm. "When Ruby gave me your papers...I knew I had to have a conversation with you. But I didn't know how to have a conversation with you."

Walt pulled down an empty hanger and flipped it in his hands a couple of times.

"It got me thinking about things I'd been avoiding lately, and I decided I needed to take some action. That maybe by taking action in some areas I'd been avoiding, I'd be more prepared to take it in others."

Walt looked down at the hanger in his hands and then hung it back up. "So I decided to go see Lucian, and talk to him about Barlow. And Martha."

Vic leaned back against the wall.

Walt ran his hand along the handle of one of the closet organizer drawers, his eyes following his fingers' path. "After seeing Lucian I stopped by the Red Pony to talk to Henry."

"You had some air to clear with him as well?"

"We needed to continue a...conversation we started last night. And I wanted his advice on a certain matter." Walt lifted his eyes to hers.

"Did he give you that advice?"

"He did."

"And did you follow that advice?"

"I'm...trying."

Vic decided to press her luck. "You said you didn't want to get in the way by telling me something. What did you hold back from telling me?" She stepped to the front of the closet to stand across from him in the doorway.

Again Walt looked at Sean's empty side of the closet.

"When you told me that Sean had demanded that you give your two weeks' notice..." He dropped his eyes to the clothes Vic had placed in the box. "And later when you said you were quitting...I didn't tell you what I actually wanted to say. You were married, and I didn't have the right to interfere...but I wanted to tell you...I wanted to tell you that I want you to stay."

Vic took in his words. "Who wants me to stay?"

Walt looked at her, again confused by her question.

"Who wants me to stay? Walt the sheriff or Walt the man?"

Walt ran his hand along the hair by his neck, glancing at the space on the floor between them.

Vic waited for his response but was met by silence. With an exhale, she turned to exit the closet, but Walt caught her wrist.

He took a step towards her. "Both."

His eyes were on her face when she looked up at him. He suddenly realized his hand was still holding her wrist and dropped it. When it looked like he might take a step back, Vic reached out and placed a hand on his forearm.

Walt paused for a moment, looking down at her fingers encircling his arm. He then looked up, placed a hand on her hip, and pressed her into the door jamb. His eyes dropped to her lips as he took another step closer.

"You're quite short without your boots on." His voice was low and gravelly near her left ear.

"You're just freakishly tall."

The pressure of his hand at her waist increased. In response, she grabbed some of the material at the front of his shirt.

He lowered his head but kept a fraction of space between them. Their breaths mingled, and the loose strands from her ponytail tickled the side of his face. His eyes were dark as he looked into hers, and something flashed across them briefly. It took everything Vic could muster not to be the one to close the distance between them.

Walt's other hand came to rest at her side, and instead of stepping further into her, he pulled her to him. Vic expected his lips to slowly move over hers, in sync with how he had approached her, but Walt surprised her. He seemed to want to devour her mouth. When he wrapped his arms around her back to bring her closer, Vic stood on her tip toes and pressed up against him. Their mouths still connected, she slid her arms around his shoulders, and ran her fingers along his neck and up into his hair.

He tugged on her lower lip with his teeth, and slid his tongue in when she opened to him. Their tongues dueled as Walt moved his hands from her back to her sides. Without releasing his lips, Vic brought her hands to the front of her sweatshirt, unzipped it and shrugged it off her shoulders. Walt ran his hands up along her bare arms and across the straps of her tank top. As he stepped forward and pressed Vic against the wall, his hands dropped to her hips, and then slid behind her. In one swift movement, he hefted her upwards and she wrapped her legs around his waist. With his lips still on hers, his hands trailed across the back of her jeans, and her hands returned to sliding through his hair.

Pulling her in close, Walt turned to his right and stepped into the bedroom. With a few strides he was at the edge of the bed and lowering Vic onto the mattress. When he pulled up, Vic moved further on to the bed, keeping a hold on his shirt to ensure he followed. He moved with her, and then lowered himself on to her when she came to a stop. He brought his lips to her neck, and Vic felt his tongue against her skin. She brought her hands to the back of his shirt and worked to free it from his jeans. Again his mouth crashed down on hers and she responded eagerly. When she brought her hands around and started unbuttoning his shirt, he pulled back.

Vic got two buttons unfastened before she looked up into his eyes and stilled her hands. She arched an eyebrow at him and leaned up to bring her lips to his.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, his head hovering above hers, his breathing labored and his eyes boring into hers.

"Are you...are you still planning to go back to Philadelphia on Sunday?"

Vic paused.

"Is this not going to happen if I still plan on leaving?"

Walt closed his eyes a moment and then reopened them. "I've been an asshole the past couple of weeks. I'd be even more of an asshole if I continued."

"Don't I get to define what behavior makes you an asshole?"

"No."

Vic paused again as she looked to the side. "So this only progresses if I'm staying?" Her eyes found his and her hand came to rest at the opening of his shirt.

Walt looked away.

She brought her hand to the side of his face to turn it back to her. "So whether I stay or not, we're not...doing this?"

A pained look momentarily flashed across his eyes.

Vic dropped her hand. "I see."

Walt shifted and lay down on his back beside her. They both stared up at the ceiling.

Vic pulled herself up to her side to look down at him. "Actually, I don't see." He glanced upwards at her. "And don't give me any bullshit excuses about why you think we can't...be together."

Walt remained silent.

She placed a hand on his chest. "It's just sex, Walt."

"Vic, with you, it's not just sex. And it would change everything."

Vic stilled. "Sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I know it's not just sex. And I want it to change everything."

She paused. "You said you wanted me to stay, but what would I be staying for if our...being together...is not a possibility?"

He didn't respond.

She removed her hand from his chest. "So if I leave on Sunday, this...?" Her hand motioned back and forth between them.

Walt held her eyes with his. "Is definitely not happening."

"And if I decide to stay?"

Walt's eyes continued to hold hers. "It's not going to happen...right now."

Vic lay back down.

They stayed in their current positions, lying side-by-side without touching.

After a few minutes, Walt pulled himself up and sat at the edge of the bed. "I should go."

Vic grabbed the back of his untucked shirt, causing Walt to turn and look down at her. She looked at her hand grasping the fabric, as if surprised by her own action. After a moment she looked up at him. "You haven't accomplished what you came here for. Are you just going to give up?"

He arched an eyebrow.

"You came here for three reasons."

"I did?"

"You came to apologize, but your apology was kind of weak. You came here to give me my divorce papers and find out about my current situation, and we haven't talked much about it. And you came here to convince me to stay, but you haven't...convinced me."

Walt bowed his head.

"Are you going to leave without accomplishing those things?"

Walt looked around the room. "What about your packing?"

"I'm taking a break."

Vic watched Walt as he continued to sit on the side of the bed, staring out in front of him.

Finally, without saying a word, Walt lay back in his previous position beside her.

Again they lay side-by-side without touching.

After some time had passed in silence, Walt turned his head towards Vic. "I didn't take the news that you were leaving too well. It...threw me."

Vic turned her head towards him. She waited for him to continue, unsure whether he had anything more to add.

His eyes went unfocused.

"I had developed...feelings...for you."

Walt cleared his throat.

"But they were inappropriate. Because you were my deputy. And because you weren't...free. But no matter how much I fought them..."

He blinked and then refocused on her. "So my response, anytime I felt the boundaries between us slip, was to push you away. I'd assign you to cases with Branch. Send you home. Shut you out for a period of time."

Walt breathed in deeply. "After I learned the truth...about what Barlow did..." His jaw clenched and then released. "The things I almost did..."

His eyes scanned the room.

"And the things I wanted...but pushed down...kept buried."

Again he clenched his jaw.

"I couldn't protect Martha from Barlow's hatred of me. I almost couldn't protect you from Chance Gilbert's hatred of me. I've made a lot of people angry with me over the years. If something were to happen to you...because of me...I don't think I could survive it. So I pushed you away... for your own good. And for mine."

He looked up at the ceiling. "When you told me you were quitting...and leaving Durant..."

He paused. "You were married, and I wasn't going to do anything to get in the way...no matter how I felt. So I pushed you further away. I thought that pushing you away would...reinforce the boundary between us...and allow you to leave without me messing things up for you."

He paused again. "And I thought pushing you away would allow me to...protect myself. To soften the blow your departure would have on me."

Walt closed his eyes and breathed in and out a few times, his chest rising and falling slowly with each breath. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting a divorce?"

Vic turned her whole body to lie on her right side and face him. "I wanted to tell you." There was a catch in her voice, so she paused.

"But I was hurt...by how you reacted when I told you Sean was demanding that I quit. I had thought there might be...something...between us. But your words hurt like hell, and I began to doubt that you looked at me as anything other than your deputy. And then, when everything went down with Ridges, and Barlow, and you started pushing me away, I held back, and decided to keep the news to myself."

"If you had told me..."

"What? Would you have asked me to stay?"

Walt opened his eyes. "I might have." He paused as his eyes scanned her face. "Or at least told you that I wanted you to stay. There were many things getting in my way when it came to you, but a big one was the fact that you were married. It was insurmountable. But if I'd known..."

Walt hesitated. "How long ago did you and Sean decide to divorce?"

Vic sucked on her lower lip. "A little over six weeks ago."

Walt visibly winced. "Six weeks? You've known for six weeks and didn't say a thing?"

"I told you I was hurt. That I thought you didn't...think of me as anything more than your deputy. And you pushed me away. You were no longer confiding in me, so how could I confide in you?"

"Six weeks." Walt seemed to be talking to himself. "Exactly when did you make that decision?"

Vic ran her hand over her eyes. "Shortly after..." She stopped.

Walt glanced to the side and looked like he was counting back six weeks. "Shortly after the ordeal the two of you went through with Chance Gilbert?"

Vic nodded. "It kind of opened up our eyes to things we'd been trying to ignore."

Walt continued to stare off to the side.

Vic sank back down on the bed and closed her eyes.

Walt turned towards her. "I made things worse...pushing you away...I think I made things worse...for both of us. And I never meant to make you feel like you were just a replaceable part, Vic."

Vic rolled her head towards him. She felt a tear slide down the side of her face.

She wanted to punch his shoulder. Hard.

She wanted to reach out and rest her hand on his cheek.

She wanted to get all those thoughts he had secreted away in his head out in the open.

She wanted to go back in time and change some of things she'd said...or not said...to him.

She wanted him to wrap his arms around her.

She wanted to get on that plane on Sunday and leave all this turmoil behind.

She wanted to have his lips on hers again.

She wanted to push him off the bed and yell at him to stay away from her. That she would likely only hurt him...them both...in the end.

She wanted...

Vic stared back up at the ceiling. At the rotating blades of the fan near the top of the stairs.

Closing her eyes, she reached out and took Walt's hand in hers. He held on tightly.

* * *

**Work's been crazy busy lately, and will continue to be so for at least a few more weeks. I'm not sure when I'll get the next chapter posted…I'll try to carve out some time to write amidst all the craziness. **

**Let me know what you thought of this latest chapter…your feedback will help keep me motivated :) **


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the feedback on the previous chapter! I really appreciate it! I'm not sure when I'll be posting the next chapter (I have some work travel coming up and work is still crazy busy), but I thought I would get this chapter up before I headed out of town. Let me know what you think :)**

* * *

Vic's eyes opened slowly and she blinked, her gaze finally landing on the rotating ceiling fan. She rubbed her hand across her face and then rotated her head to the right. Walt was asleep next to her. They were lying on top of the covers, in the same positions she'd remembered them assuming earlier that evening when they were talking, his hand resting on her wrist.

It was still light outside, although the light was quickly fading. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. They'd been asleep for just under an hour. Or at least she had. She had no idea if they had fallen asleep at the same time.

She turned her head back to Walt and took in his steady breathing. Clearly neither of them had been sleeping well lately and they both were in need of some real rest. She continued to look at him, watching the rise and fall of his chest. The relaxed stated of his face.

Not wanting to get caught staring at him should he wake, Vic pulled herself up and sat at the edge of the bed. The lights in the closet and bathroom were still on. The boxes Walt had assembled lay abandoned on the floor.

She looked down at her hands, noticing that she was unconsciously playing with her wedding ring. She pulled her hands apart, and looked back at the closet. Thought about the truths that had been revealed there. To Walt earlier that evening. To herself six weeks ago.

_Vic sat in her truck looking out at her house. The engine was off, and she'd been sitting in the darkness for the last five minutes. The light next to the front door was on, but the rest of the house was completely dark._

_She looked down at her hands, her fingers twisting her ring. _

_Pulling her hands apart, she grabbed her backpack from the passenger seat and opened the door._

_The crunch her boots made walking across the stones of the driveway cut through the silence as she approached the front of the house. She opened the screen door, surprised to find the front door locked. She didn't know why she was surprised Sean hadn't left it open. She hadn't answered his calls when she was at the Red Pony and if her previous behavior was any indication, he had likely assumed she wasn't coming home that night. _

_Vic pulled out her keys, and unlocked the door. Turning the handle, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. Trying her best to be at quiet as possible, she slowly closed the door behind her. She turned the light outside off, and worked on taking off her boots as her eyes adjusted to the dark._

_Once her boots were off and she could make out familiar shapes before her, she crossed the front room into the kitchen. She placed her keys and wallet on the small entry table, and dropped her backpack on the floor nearby. She made her way through the dark to the foot of the stairs, and then headed up to the bedroom, careful to avoid the step that creaked._

_At the top of the stairs she stopped to get her bearings. Sean had adopted the habit of leaving the light on in the bathroom and the door slightly ajar so she could navigate her way across the bedroom and get ready for bed when she arrived home late. Even nights he assumed she might stay at the office instead of coming home he'd leave the light on. No familiar glow came from the bathroom that evening._

_She put her hands out until her fingers touched the wooden beam at the end of the railing. Keeping her hands before her to prevent herself from knocking into anything along her path, she started walking in the direction of the closet. _

_Once she located the entry to the closet, she stepped in, shut the door and flipped the switch. She momentarily closed her eyes to the harshness of the light, and then began unbuttoning her uniform shirt. _

_As she unfastened the buttons, she began to think about some of the things she had written in the 'Dear Jackass' letter she'd written to Sean earlier that night. _

_As she arrived at the last button she thought about how she and Sean handled their disagreements by not dealing directly with the actual problem._

_As she pulled the shirt off her shoulders she thought about how pissed she was that Sean's solution to the current situation was demanding that she quit her job._

_As she tossed the shirt to the floor and undid the button on her jeans she thought that if Sean thought the solution was for her to quit that he clearly didn't understand what was important to her._

_As she stepped out of her jeans and pulled off her socks she acknowledged that maybe Sean had demanded she quit because he DID realize what was most important to her, and felt threatened by it._

_As she rifled through her drawer, pulled a tank top out and yanked it on, she wondered if she was having a hard time admitting to herself what was truly important._

_As she pulled on a pair of sweats she thought about Walt...and then pushed the thought aside._

_Vic turned off the light, and let her eyes adjust again. Pulling the elastic from her ponytail, she breathed in deeply as her hair fell down against her neck and shoulders. Placing her hand on the door knob, she hesitated, and then leaned her forehead against the closed door._

_She had stayed in Henry's office a while writing her letters, and it was already early morning. She could go to sleep now, and leave things unsaid. In the morning she could tell Sean that it was late when she got home and she didn't want to wake him. They'd likely continue to avoid each other or use sex to get past the situation at hand. Their usual pattern._

_She knew she could easily resort to this approach. But the words from her letter continued to be fresh on her mind, and Henry's suggestion to give Sean the letter was nagging her as well._

_She opened the door, but stayed in the doorway looking over at the bed._

_If neither of them ever talked about how they actually felt, how could anything ever be different? How could they ever get off their current trajectory of denial and inaction if they never confronted anything directly?_

_Vic made her way to the edge of the bed. Slipping under the covers, she turned to her side, lay her head against her pillow and tucked her right hand under her head. She'd momentarily forgotten about her injuries, and she cringed in pain. She pulled her hand out, and rolled to her back. _

_She listened to Sean's breathing beside her, and then rolled towards her nightstand and turned on the lamp._

_Hesitantly she reached out and placed her hand on Sean's left shoulder and shook it gently._

_"Sean."_

_He didn't stir. She shook his shoulder harder and said his name a little louder._

_"Sean."_

_Sean began to squint, his eyes slowly opening and revealing a look of confusion as he glanced her way._

_"Vic? What time is it?"_

_"Late. Sorry for waking you..." She sat up and looked directly at him. "I'm ready to talk."_

Vic's thoughts were interrupted by movement beside her, and she glanced back to see Walt shifting his position slightly. She stayed looking at him to see if he would wake up, but he did not.

Turning back, she placed her forearms on her thighs and looked over to the table. Her eyes were drawn to the manila envelope she had placed there earlier.

She paused, and then reached out and picked up the envelope. She took a slow, deep breath, and then opened it and withdrew its contents. Her posture slightly hunched, she started to read.

After some time, she looked up and thought back to a week ago, to her last interaction with Sean.

_Vic opened the front door and stepped inside._

_"Hey."_

_Startled, she dropped her keys. "Sean." _

_Sean was seated on the stairs, two suitcases at his feet. She paused a moment to take him in and then shut the door behind her and bent down to pick up the keys._

_Sean watched her movement. "Did you think I'd left already?"_

_"I wasn't sure when you were leaving for the airport. But I wasn't expecting you to be sitting here waiting for me. That's what startled me."_

_Sean leaned back, resting his elbows on a step two up from where he sat._

_"I wasn't waiting for you. I'm waiting to get picked up." He paused a moment. "Why are you home early from work?"_

_"I...uh...I thought I might be able to catch you before you left. Actually...actually say goodbye."_

_Sean scoffed. "You actually came home to see me off?"_

_"We were married for five years, Sean. There were some good times between us. We could actually try to end this on a somewhat positive note."_

_Sean took in her words. "Walt let you leave early to bid his rival for your affection farewell?"_

_Annoyed, Vic exhaled loudly. "Don't bring Walt into this."_

_He donned a fake smile. "You brought Walt into this."_

_"Again, nothing happened between Walt and me. You keep saying you believe nothing happened, but you keep bringing Walt up, so clearly you think I'm lying."_

_"Oh, I believe that nothing has happened, but I absolutely believe there is something between you."_

_With a slow eye roll, Vic brought her hands to her hips._

_"I'm moving back to Philadelphia next week. There is clearly nothing between Walt and me, or why would I be leaving?"_

_"I don't think you're moving to Philadelphia. I think you're running away from Durant."_

_Vic glared at him._

_"It's so like you, Vic. To give up so easily. Or avoid things when they get complicated."_

_"I'm not giving up or avoiding anything. There isn't anything here for me to avoid. I'm just moving on. Just like you. I just don't need to go half-way around the world to do it."_

_"No, you don't. Because you move on much more easily than I do."_

_Vic breathed in deeply trying to keep her anger in check._

_"So how did Walt handle the news when you gave him your two weeks' notice? Did he get upset? Did he beg you to stay? Or did he stay silent?" Watching Vic closely, Sean didn't wait for her to respond. "My bet is that he stayed silent. From what you've said about him, it doesn't sound like he says much. Probably what attracted you to him. The strong silent type with whom you always get the last word. And you always need the last word, don't you, Vic? Despite it sometimes feeling like I was pulling teeth to get you to open up...you always seemed to need the last word."_

_Vic pulled both hands into fists at her side and then released them. "Why are you doing this, Sean?"_

_"Doing what, Vic?"_

_"Leaving on such a bitter note, and doing it with such cruel words. When we made the decision to divorce, you didn't act this way. You were much more level-headed."_

_"Let's just say that I've had a lot more time to think about...things...these last few weeks. With me wrapping up stuff at work and staying at Jim's, and you doing God knows what with God knows who, I've had a lot of time to reflect on the end of our marriage."_

_Folding her arms, Vic leaned back against the door. "We're both responsible for the end of our marriage, Sean. No one else. Just us. Both of us. You know that. We've had problems for a while. Long before coming to Durant."_

_"I don't blame Walt. I know what it's like to get sucked into the Victoria Moretti vortex. He's only a man, so you can't blame him for falling prey to what I and others have also succumbed to."_

_"For the last time...I'm not lying to you. There's nothing going on—"_

_"Forget about lying to me, Vic. Stop lying to yourself. I've seen it. With my own eyes. You put your job first. You put Walt first."_

_Vic's eyes momentarily grew big. She swallowed, willing her voice to come out steady. "I like my job, Sean. I like partnering with Walt. As I do with Ferg. That's all it is."_

_"If you like your job and your work buddies so much, why are you leaving?"_

_Vic felt the sting of tears in her eyes, but she refused to let Sean see her cry._

_"Did I hit on something there?"_

_"Just shut up Sean."_

_Sean leaned forward from where he was seated on the stairs. _

_"I'll shut up if you admit to the truth. That in the end, you chose Walt over me. I saw it that night that nut job held us hostage. You putting Walt first..." Sean steeled himself against the glare she was directing his way. "And if you're leaving Durant, maybe Walt didn't choose you back. Maybe he thought you were too much work. Maybe he saw how things ended with me, and with Gorski, and decided you weren't worth the trouble."_

_Vic stood up straight, seething._

_"You're right. I did choose someone over you. I chose me. I chose happiness. Or the potential for happiness. You were right about there not being much happiness between us. I don't want that...for either of us. We should both be happy...and for us to find that, we need to be apart." Her shoulders sagged. "I came over here in hopes of saying goodbye before you left. To end things between us on amicable terms. But I see that is not possible." _

_Sean sat, stony-eyed and silent._

_"What nothing further to add? No more accusations to fling my way?"_

_"Just giving you the last word, Vic."_

_"Bullshit."_

_Sean arched an eyebrow, and then leaned back again._

_With one final glare, Vic whipped around, yanked open the door and then slammed it behind her._

Vic shook her head to try to dislodge the memory from her mind. Looking down, she noticed her tight grasp on the papers in her lap. She loosened her hold, and then stood up, reached into the nearby box of her items from work and pulled out her notebook and a pen. Placing the notebook beneath the papers, she turned to the first page that required her signature and signed her name.

As she finished signing her name and turned the page, she felt the mattress shift and then Walt's fingers brush against her back. She leaned into his palm, closing her eyes at his touch. After a brief moment he dropped his hand, and she looked over her shoulder at him. His eyes were blinking as he adjusted to the light.

"What are you up to?" His voice was gravelly with sleep, and Vic found it to be very appealing.

She lifted the divorce papers so he could see them in her hand. "Signing these."

Walt stared at the papers, and then leaned back and propped himself up on his elbows. "Shouldn't you take some time? Think things through a bit more?"

"There's nothing to think through."

Walt held her gaze. "Should you wait and do it at a time when you're not feeling any pressure...by my...being here?"

"I'd be signing them whether you were here or not."

Vic turned from him and leaned over the papers again. She sensed Walt's eyes still on her, and his concern that she was rushing things, but she continued signing. With the last required signature completed, Vic put the papers back in their envelope, and then placed the notebook, envelope and pen back on the table.

Peering down at her hands, she twisted her ring back and forth, and then removed it, looking at it lying in her palm. She folded her fingers around it and then closed her eyes. After a moment she opened her eyes, leaned towards her nightstand and placed it next to the notebook.

She then turned, grabbed a pillow from the front of the bed and lay down on her stomach next to Walt, the pillow under her chest, her chin resting on her crossed arms.

Walt was the one to break the silence. "You ok?"

Staring at the wall, Vic paused, thinking through what she wanted to share with him.

"Sean and I were not good at...handling our disagreements."

She could feel Walt's intent gaze on her.

"We got through them by not directly dealing with the actual problem. He'd go out of town. I'd stay late at work. We'd talk around the issues. Or argue about the wrong ones. We'd blame other things. We..." She adjusted the placement of her head on her arms. "We often used sex to get past the situation at hand.

Vic breathed in deeply again. "When Gorski sent Sean that picture of you and me outside the hotel room in Arizona, Sean..."

Walt shifted from his back to his side, his head propped up by his hand. "Does Sean still believe something happened between you and me?"

Vic paused, aware that Walt might read into her hesitation. She turned her head, resting the right side of her face on her arms so that she could look at him. "He doesn't believe anything happened between us, but...he believes there is something between us."

"I hate that I had anything to do with the problems between you and Sean."

Vic's eyes fell to Walt's hand which he had moved into the space between them on the bed. "You were not the cause of our problems. Our marriage was so strained, especially after we moved here. But..."

She lifted her eyes back up to his. "I want to be honest with you, Walt. Say some things that are going to be hard to say. And may be hard for you to hear. But I need to say them...and if I do...say them...I don't want you to...retreat. Can you promise me that? That you won't retreat?"

Walt stared at her unblinking for a moment. "Ok." His response was quiet, but he had not averted his gaze, which gave Vic hope.

"You mentioned earlier that you tried to fight the feelings you were developing for me, but that you couldn't. I...I get that."

She brought her head back up, again resting her chin on her crossed arms. "I don't remember when Sean and I fell out of love. Or maybe we never really were in love. Maybe we just tried to convince ourselves we were. Since arriving in Durant we both deliberately found ways to spend time apart. We should have recognized this as a sign that our relationship had run its course. But we were in denial, probably before we even got to Wyoming."

She lifted her hand up to tuck the hair that had fallen in front of her eyes behind her ear. "When you're not in love with someone you can still stay with that person, if the conditions are livable and if there isn't another...option. Or if you don't believe that there could be something...better. But when the conditions get worse. And when there is someone else you...connect with...it becomes harder to focus on the reasons you're still with that person you don't love. I never went looking for other...options...for something better."

She turned her head back towards Walt. "I know you never wanted to get in the middle of things, Walt."

She watched his eyes as they drifted to the space between them. "I know you would never deliberately come between someone and their spouse, and would do everything you could for that not to happen. You did do everything you could. But, like you said, you can't fight your feelings. I tried. I really did. And if there was something still between Sean and me, I would have fought for the two of us. I would never..."

Walt's eyes returned to hers at her pause. "Sean blames my feelings for you...says that they came between us and that they are the reason we were having problems. It's not true...you aren't the cause of the problems between us. Sean and I...we just couldn't fix what was broken between us and hadn't been able to pull the trigger on calling it quits. But you are part of the reason our marriage ended. Sean says I put my work before our marriage. That I put you before him. And he's right. I've been doing that...for a while. I didn't even realize I was doing it at first. And when I did realize it, I was in denial...about how I felt...what it meant...and what I wanted."

Vic's gaze fell on Walt's hand, which was still resting between them. "But my jealousy of Lizzie was difficult to deny. And the...situation with Gorski...started to bring things to the surface. You..." She pulled her gaze back up. "What you did...threatening Gorski to get him to leave...it made me start to think that my feelings might not be one-sided as I'd assumed they were. And when Gorski sent Sean that picture, Sean pointed out that I was happier around you than I had been with him in a long time. And during all that shit that happened with Chance Gilbert, I made it painfully clear to Sean...multiple times...how...important you were to me."

She stared at him for a moment, and then continued. "You weren't the cause of Sean's and my problems. But because I felt a...connection with you...it highlighted what was missing with Sean. What had been missing all along with Sean. And we...Sean and I...got to the point that we couldn't go on the way we'd been going. The issues between us that were...annoying...became more problematic. And the distance between us...between what we wanted...became greater. When Sean decided he was going to take that job offer in Australia...we decided I wasn't going to go with him."

She paused a moment, studying Walt, trying to gauge how he was handling what she'd shared with him. He looked back at her with an unreadable expression.

"Have I scared you off? Sharing all this with you?"

He silently looked back at her.

"You know what? Shit. Don't answer that yet. That was a lot, and you probably need to process it. Let's...let's change topics, and come back to this later. When you're ready. I'm not trying to push you. I don't want to push you."

She buried her face in her pillow for a moment and then looked up at the wall.

"Tell me about Henry. What's it like having your BFF back?"

When Walt didn't respond she turned towards him.

He had not stopped looking at her. "Like he never left...and was gone too long."

Vic smiled. "I know what you mean. Have you had a chance to catch up?"

"A bit. On some of the more critical things."

"Yeah? Did Henry have any words of wisdom to share?"

"When has he not?"

Vic laughed. "Very true. I only got a few minutes here and there with him last night."

"That's because he was lecturing me the rest of the time."

"Oh yeah? Did you get in trouble with Henry?"

"He told me he owed me a 'talking to' on your behalf. That he promised you he'd inform me of my shortcomings. And let's just say, that despite our time apart this past month, he did not take it easy on me."

A grin lit Vic's face. "I always enjoy hearing Henry's scoldings when they're not directed at me. He has a way of saying things exactly how he sees them."

"Yep. And apparently he sees them much more clearly than I do."

"Must be due to all that time he spent away. Cleansed his mental palate."

"Uh huh."

"But, even with the lecturing, it must be nice to have him back. Someone you can vent to. Someone who can be your sounding board. Someone to call you on your shit."

Walt shifted to his back, looking up at the ceiling. "It is, yes. I've...missed that. Needed that."

Vic nodded. "I've missed that, too."

He turned his head towards her. "Henry has a way of getting results...out of the most stubborn people."

Vic chuckled. "Stubborn people? I don't know anyone like that."

"Me either. No one around here fits that description."

Vic smiled again. "Is that how you ended up over at our table last night? And at my door tonight? Did Henry use a little of his...motivational skills on you?"

Walt paused. "That may have had something to do with it."

"Any specific arguments he made that you found to be particularly effective?"

Walt looked off to the side briefly.

"Last night he said something about getting my head out of my ass, and not leaving things like they were, and not getting stuck in my head like I usually do."

"And today...today I heard an earful about not letting doubt, and fear, and excuses get in my way, and being honest with myself, and getting my act together before it was too late." He looked her in the eye and shrugged. "Well, not necessarily in those exact words. They were much more eloquently spoken. But you get the drift."

"I've always thought Henry was a wise person." She smiled broadly at Walt. "I'm glad you've kept him around for forty years."

The corners of Walt's mouth lifted. "Me too."

"And I'm sorry you didn't have him around this past month. I think you could have really used your best friend."

Walt's smile dropped and his eyes went unfocused for a moment.

"Yep."

Vic watched him as he looked vacantly in front of him.

"Walt."

When he didn't respond, she pushed herself up, looking at him as she did, but he didn't look up at her. She gently placed her hand on his chest. When he still didn't look her way, she scooted over, lay her head on his chest near where his neck met his left shoulder, and wrapped her arms around him.

She felt Walt stiffen and then lift his head to look down at her. "What are you doing?"

"You looked like you needed a hug?"

"I did? Shouldn't you be the one in need of a hug? Aren't you the one signing divorce papers today? And—"

"Shut up Walt, and just let me give you a hug."

Vic pulled herself in closer, breathing in Walt's scent. After some initial hesitation, she felt his arms encircle her back. After another moment she felt him relax.

They lay that way for a while. His breathing was becoming steadier, and she wondered if he had fallen asleep. She felt her own eyes start to drift closed when she heard Walt clear his throat.

"When...when your divorce papers arrived at the office this morning, I…I was completely surprised."

Vic opened her eyes.

"My initial thought was that you didn't know that Sean wanted a divorce. And the pain I felt in that moment...for you. For the surprise that was headed your way. It overwhelmed me. And I was going to be the one bringing you the news. Causing the pain..."

Vic felt Walt's hand slowly slide across her lower back.

"But as I thought about it more, I began to think that maybe you did know. That you and Sean had decided to divorce, resulting in him taking the position in Australia, and you thinking through whether there was anything worth staying for. I knew you never liked Durant, and that there wasn't much holding you here...and I began to...panic. I'd never told you that I wanted you to stay and wondered whether that would have made a difference."

His hand slid some more and stopped at her side.

"And then I began to think that you had made the decision to leave, deliberately. And in that moment...it felt...it felt like you were leaving...me. It was not that you weren't choosing Durant. Or the Absaroka County Sheriff's Department. You were not choosing me. I had made you want to leave. I was responsible. It was...heartbreaking."

She felt his grip tighten at her side.

"And I had to get out of the office. Think things through. But thinking is what gets me in trouble. What paralyzes me. So instead I needed to act. I knew what I needed to do. I just didn't know how to do it. Or if I could do it. So I went to see Lucian. To build up my courage. And I went to see Henry. So I wouldn't talk myself out of it."

He paused. Vic could feel his heart beating in his chest.

"Vic, you said earlier you never went looking for something else, but that it just happened. Feelings you couldn't fight. Or ignore. Or deny."

Vic shifted the position of her head on his shoulder.

"I've been pushing down my feelings for you for so long. I didn't want to interfere. I didn't have the right to have the feelings I had. So I never let myself go there. Never let myself...hope...for something more with you."

She lifted her left hand and placed it near the collar of his shirt.

"When...when Ruby first told me about your divorce papers arriving...before all the other feelings crashed down on me...before all the reasons holding me back reared up...there was hope. I've gone the past few years without much of it, but the possibility of being with you...of having a future with you..."

Vic lifted her head, and looked down at Walt.

He looked directly at her. "For a moment there I had hope."

Vic felt the warmth of Walt's chest through the fabric of his shirt. The quickening beat of his heart. She felt his hand at her back. The other at her side. She held her breath as her eyes scanned his face.

"Vic—"

And then suddenly her cell phone rang.

Vic exhaled loudly. "Son of a bitch. If that's Ruby interrupting for the third time today I'm going to kick her ass."


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm back from my work trip, and was hoping to have a productive writing day yesterday which would result in me being able to post an update, but the conversations in this chapter weren't going the way I wanted, and when we had gorgeous, sunny, 50-degree weather, I decided some fresh air was what I needed to get my focus back. We're back to 30-degree temps and overcast skies today…much more conducive to being indoors and writing :)**

* * *

Vic rolled to her side, her head and shoulders turned towards her nightstand where her phone lay face-down and ringing.

After the second ring Walt shifted slightly beside her. "Are you going to answer that?"

Vic continued to stare over her shoulder at her phone. "No."

"Why not?"

"It's probably just my family. I can call them back later."

"What if it's important?"

"If it is, they'll call back. Or leave a message."

As she completed her statement her phone stopped ringing. She listened for a voice mail notification, but no familiar ding sounded.

It had gone completely dark outside, the closet and the bathroom providing the only light in the room. Vic pushed herself up and slid towards the nightstand, but instead of picking up the phone, she turned on the lamp. She cringed momentarily, squinting as she adjusted to the sudden brightness.

Behind her, Walt adjusted his position on the bed. "You don't want to talk to them?"

Vic turned towards him, her lips pressed together. He was still lying on his back, but was now propped up on his forearms.

"Not right now."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

A quizzical look greeted her.

She smiled at him. "Do YOU want to talk to them?"

Vic made her way back over to lay in her previous position at Walt's side, placing her elbow on the mattress and propping her head up on her hand to look at him.

She laughed. "I can see the very lopsided and uncomfortable conversation now." When he turned his head towards her, she raised her hand up to her left ear as if she were holding up her phone.

"Hello. Vic's phone," she said into her hand, her voice a little lower as she pretended to be Walt.

She paused as if listening to someone speaking on the other end. "Uh...this is Walt Longmire...Yes. The Sheriff. Her...boss. Uh...I mean her former boss."

Vic looked at Walt as she pretended to listen to a person on the other end. "Uh...no...she can't come to the phone right now."

Vic paused and then brought her imaginary phone down to her side.

"My dad wants to know why you are here. What should I tell him?"

A tight smile greeted her. "Funny."

She smiled at him and then raised the invisible phone to her ear. "Uh...I've been helping her pack."

Vic nodded as if she were agreeing with something being said. "It's...it's coming along. The lower floor is all packed up. She's been making headway upstairs."

Vic sat up, positioning herself near Walt's hip, and crossing her legs beneath her. "Am I helping her pack up her bedroom?"

Vic winked at Walt as she dropped her left hand to her shoulder.

"My dad is going to give you a hard time. I don't think he likes the idea of you being in his daughter's bedroom."

The corners of Walt's mouth turned upward as he shook his head. "Ok. You can stop."

Vic pointed at her left hand, which she'd raised in the air. "Sorry. I need to get back to my call...I mean your call."

Vic cleared her throat before she continued talking into her hand. "Uh...she's had me assembling boxes. Is there a message you would like me to give her?"

"Nice half-truth and then diversion," she whispered to Walt before lowering her voice again to continue. "Uh...I'm not quite sure what time her flight is on Sunday. I can have her call you back with the details."

Vic raised an eyebrow. "Oh...uh...ok."

Vic brought her right hand to her left as if she was covering the invisible phone's speaker.

"My dad says my mother wants to speak to you and is passing the phone to her now."

Vic returned to the call. "Yes, hello Mrs. Moretti...uh, ok...Lena. Yes. Walt Longmire...yes...thank you. I'm well."

In her seated position on the bed, Vic nodded into her hand silently.

After a long moment of head nods and silence on Vic's part she brought her right hand up to her left and looked at Walt, rolling her eyes. "It appears talkativeness runs in the family." She smiled at Walt's smile and then took her hand away.

"Yes packing up this house is a big job...uh...no...I don't think Sean helped her pack up before he left last week."

Vic continued to nod in silent agreement to the one-sided conversation she was having.

"Yes, ma'am...I believe that's a word Vic's used to describe Sean as well—"

Vic lowered her hand to talk to Walt. "I can also see a mother-daughter similarity in...vocabulary."

She raised her hand back up to her ear.

"Which Vic said that? Oh, right, your husband and son are both named Vic. I meant my Vic...I mean your daughter Vic."

She pretended to switch the phone to her right hand, and watched Walt as he followed her movement. She brought her left hand to rest on his leg near her knee. His eyes stayed on her fingers.

"No...I don't mind helping...It's my responsibility...to serve and protect...packing moving boxes...challenging men to duels to save my deputy's life...it's my duty."

Her eyes gleamed as she was greeted by a glare from him telling her _very funny_.

"Is this something I've done for other deputies who've left before?...The dueling or the packing?"

"Vic—" Walt tried to break in.

"Shh..." Vic whispered as she looked over at him briefly before turning her gaze to her fingers, which had begun lightly tracing patterns on his thigh.

"I haven't had too many deputies leave me before...I mean leave Absaroka County before...so I haven't been presented the opportunity. To help with packing."

Her fingers reached the edge of his shirt and she started playing with the hem.

"Yes...I bet you're excited to have her back in Philadelphia with you—"

Her fingers paused.

"Should she have followed Sean out here in the first place?...well...uh...it was my...uh...understanding that there were multiple reasons she came out here, to Wyoming—"

Her fingers resumed their movement.

"Yes...those don't seem to be factors anymore...Is she...is she having second thoughts about moving back to Philadelphia?...You want to know if that's why she's not coming to the phone?...well...uh..."

"Vic—" Walt tried again.

Vic shook her head as a sign she was ignoring him and continued her fake conversation. "Am I here trying to get Vic to stay?...Well you probably know that Vic doesn't like to be told what to do—"

"Then why am I here? Uh...as I told your husband...I've been helping her pack—"

"You're surprised we're talking again?...oh...I didn't realize Vic had told you about that—"

"Yes, well...uh...that's one of the other reasons I am here. To apologize—"

"Yes, I'm very sorry—"

"I've said that to Vic—"

"She does deserve to be treated better—"

"Uh...I agree with you...she is a special individual. Yes...and unique...yes, and a handful—"

"And that's why you love your daughter—"

"And me? How do I feel about Vic?..."

Vic held Walt's gaze for a moment and then looked away.

"Uh...Mrs. Moretti...uh I mean Lena...Vic is calling me...she seems to need my help with something...I'll have her call you back with her flight details. Yes ma'am, I will. Please tell your husband goodbye for me. Thank you...goodbye."

Vic pulled her hand away from her ear and pretended to end the call. She looked directly at Walt without speaking.

Walt stared silently back at her.

"Twenty bucks it was my parents who called, and that they were just calling to confirm what time they should be at the airport to get me. No use picking up for that."

Walt continued to look at her.

"Is that really why you didn't want to answer?"

Vic hesitated before responding, dropping her gaze.

"I thought they might ask me questions I don't have answers to yet."

Walt opened his mouth slightly to say something and then stopped.

"Did you really tell your parents I was being an asshole?" he finally asked.

She looked up, held his eyes for a moment, expressionless, and then grinned. "No. I...I haven't really shared that with anyone." The grin faded. "Since I couldn't talk to you...I didn't really have anyone I could share it with."

Walt bit his lower lip and looked at the ceiling for a moment before bringing his eyes back to hers. Eyes that looked at her apologetically.

"And what if that wasn't your family on the phone?"

Vic shrugged. "Since today was my last day at work, I'm not on call. And I don't get too many people calling me just to chat. And anyone who wanted to say goodbye to me already has."

"You never know. It could be Omar. He's probably heartbroken you're leaving."

The left corner of Vic's lips turned upwards. "I know. He told me earlier today."

Walt eyes grew slightly, surprise clearly on his face.

Another mischievous smile lit Vic's face. "But you're right...it could be."

Vic again brought her left hand to her ear to simulate a phone call. "What the hell do you want, Omar? I thought you said your goodbye this morning."

She pretended to listen for a moment.

"You're calling to see if I need company while I'm packing? Who told you I was packing right now, and how did you get my number?"

"Walt gave it to you?! Really!" Vic sent a scolding look in Walt's direction. "He gave it to you during an earlier case he pulled you into? I see. I'll need to talk to him about that."

"Do I want you to come over?...And you could bring a bottle of wine? Well, first of all Omar, if you knew me at all, you would know that a 6-pack would be the way to my heart. And as far as company, I already have Walt here with me."

Vic raised an eyebrow as she pretended to listen to the response. "You're not surprised he's here. What do you mean you're not surprised?"

Her forehead creased as she listened. "You know I'm getting a divorce?...How the hell do you know that?"

She pretended to focus intently on a response, and then held her hand to the side to whisper to Walt. "He's avoiding telling me who told him about the divorce. You didn't stop by Omar's after you saw Lucian and Henry today, did you?"

She brought her hand up, listened, and then lowered it again.

"And he's telling me you've been pining for me, secretly, for years. Are you and Omar besties? He seems to know quite a bit about me. And you."

As she returned her hand to her ear Walt tried to grab her hand but she ducked in the other direction.

"If Walt was secretly pining for me, how would you know anything about it, Omar? Walt barely admits those kinds of things to himself, let alone with the likes of you."

Her eyebrow snaked upwards. "You can tell when another man suffers from Vickie fever? Ugh. Seriously?!"

She paused as if listening to the other half of a conversation Walt could not hear.

"Has Walt gotten lucky tonight?"

She smirked at Walt who was again shaking his head.

"Is that why you want to come over, Omar? You think you're going to get lucky? You feel after over two years of me telling you I'm not interested and not available that I would change my mind?"

She paused.

"What do I see in Walt that you don't have? Well—"

She paused as if interrupted, and then dropped her hand and leaned closer to Walt.

"He's telling me he's only a few years older than you. And has more to offer me. Some friend, he is. He might not realize you consider him a bestie."

Vic raised her hand to her ear, and furrowed her brow as she listened further.

She held Walt's gaze. "He's telling me all the things he has to offer," she said quietly before returning her attention to the call.

"I don't think you have less baggage than Walt, Omar. Just different baggage. I've heard about you and your ex. And as far as your other points..."

She dropped her gaze as she shook her head at something.

"What can I say, Omar. The heart wants what the heart wants. You should know that better than anyone."

She paused again as her eyes came up to meet Walt's.

"I need to go Omar."

She pulled her hand from her ear and once again simulated ending a call.

Silence sat between them for a while.

Vic reached out and placed her hand on his thigh. Ran her fingers up and down the side of his leg without breaking eye contact.

Walt reached out and stopped her hand, sitting up as he did. His face close to hers.

After a moment, she leaned in and placed her lips on his. The kiss wasn't as urgent as their earlier round. She worked her lips over his, pulling, and nipping, and teasing until he began to respond to the pressure she applied. She leaned further into him and he placed a hand on her knee. When she brought her hand to his neck, and dipped her fingers into his shirt where she had unfastened the top buttons earlier, he pulled back and removed his hand.

"Vic—"

She felt his breath on her face. The uncertainty in his voice.

"Isn't this what you want, Walt? You said earlier you developed feelings for me. That you finally had hope that we could be together."

He didn't respond. She pulled further away.

"Is this not why you're here tonight? Do you...do you not want me...that way?"

Walt's eyes were downcast. "There are other things to consider."

"What did I tell you about bullshit excuses? You need to get out of that head of yours."

Vic watched as Walt lay back down on the bed.

"Walt."

His name hung in the air between them.

She picked up her hand from her lap and brought it to her ear, once again pretending it was a phone.

"This is Vic."

She smiled. "Henry! I hear you may have played a part in getting Walt to come over to my place."

She paused, continuing to watch Walt closely.

"Yep. He showed up earlier this evening. He's lying here beside me."

Walt's eyes darted over to hers.

"Walt's giving me a look, so I need to clarify. Nobody here is naked. He's lying on my bed, but there has been no nakedness involved."

She chuckled.

"Oh...don't get me wrong. I want there to be nakedness. But you know Walt. Overthinks everything. He's dwelling on his reasons why it's not a good idea."

She bowed her head slightly.

"I know. The reasons are crap, but he's stuck on them and ignoring the reasons why we should."

She paused as if listening, her hand still at her ear.

"Like what? Fairness, for starters. I've seen him without his shirt on a few times. It's only fair he get to see me without mine."

She smiled as one of Walt's eyebrows arched.

"And I've caught him staring at my butt and legs numerous times. I think he's been wondering if these jeans are painted on. It's only fair he find out for sure."

His face seemed to go a little red, making Vic laugh at his discomfort.

"And I know you've bugged him about getting into better shape. And I've told him he's a bit tightly wound. Sex could be a win-win all around for him."

Vic brought her eyes to Walt's face and stayed there until he looked up at her.

"All joking aside. I think we have a real connection. One I haven't really had with someone else before. I think he feels it too. I'd like to take it to...another level. And I worry if we wait too long, we'll never do it."

Walt held eye contact with her but his face was void of expression.

"I don't care about our age difference...now, or in the future. Or if there would be talk about us being together. There's always talk in a small town, and eventually it will shift to the next thing. And I don't think it's a problem that he's my boss. Hell, I don't technically work for him right now. But regardless, I don't think a romantic relationship would affect our working relationship. And knowing Walt, he'd make sure it wouldn't affect anyone else in the sheriff's department."

He continued to look at her, unflinching.

"I think he knows all this. And if he were being honest with himself, they wouldn't really be problems for him either."

He blinked a couple times but said nothing.

"I think he's more worried that it's too soon. But Sean and I've been separated for over six weeks. The papers are signed. And really, things between us have been over much longer than that."

His eyes drifted to look past her shoulder.

"And I think he's worried. Given what happened to Martha, he's worried that there will be others in the future looking to take revenge, and that those he cares about will be the targets." His eyes were back on her. "But that could happen regardless of whether we're...together. The shit that went down with Chance Gilbert is proof of that. Shit can happen at any time. It's the nature of the job. It's the reality of life. There are things beyond our control, and all you can do is have the right people in your corner when it happens."

She shook her head. "We haven't discussed that..."

She paused.

"Nope...we haven't talked about that yet either."

She dropped her chin and smiled into her hand.

"I will, I promise. Thanks Henry."

Walt looked up at her silently.

She exhaled and then turned to lay on her back next to him.

"What did...Henry...tell you to do?"

"That's between me and Henry. But he thinks that I can bring you around."

Walt laughed. Vic smiled at the sound, turning towards him.

Her stomach suddenly rumbled.

Walt smiled. "Finally ready for that pizza you ordered?"

"Apparently." She looked at his profile for a moment. "I'll go get some slices for us. Do you want yours hot or cold?"

He rolled his head to the side to look at her. "I can come down with you."

She looked at him closely. "Nope. You're staying right where you are. I'm not risking you getting near the front door and thinking it's time for you to leave."

"I can close my eyes as we walk by the door so I'm not tempted to bolt."

"Nope. I think your truck has some magnetic pull on you. If you can feel it from your office when it's parked outside, one level down, you'll be helpless when it's just down the driveway."

Walt stared at her, affected by the meaning behind her words. "I'll take my pizza however you're eating yours."

"Ok. Be right back. And don't move. When I get back we're continuing this conversation about when we're going to get naked." She pushed herself up and then off the bed and headed downstairs.

XX

Doing a balancing act, Vic carried two plates of pizza, two beers and extra paper towels up the stairs. Walt was lying in the position she had left him in, and it made her smile to see that he had complied with her request to not move. When she neared the bed, he sat up and then reached out and took the two bottles from her.

"Let's sit up by the headboard." She nodded towards the front of the bed, since her hands were full. Walt moved the bottles to his left hand, shifted the pillows, and sat down, leaning back against the headboard and stretching his legs out before him. Vic placed the two plates on the end table, and then sat down at his side. She picked up one of the plates and a paper towel and handed them to him in exchange for a beer, and then picked up the other plate.

They ate in silence for a few minutes.

"The pizza here still sucks. You can't offer me good pizza. You won't commit to us having sex. What else do you have up your sleeve to convince me to stay?"

Walt stopped chewing for a moment, and then swallowed and put down the remainder of his last slice. He took a swig of his beer, and then swung his legs off the right side of the bed. Placing his plate on the nightstand, he sat at the edge.

Vic felt her stomach drop with disappointment that Walt was leaving. They'd been in a bubble, isolated and protected the last few hours. Once he left, the outside world would come crashing down around them. She wasn't sure they'd made enough progress to exist outside the bubble yet.

Her cell phone started ringing again and she turned towards the nightstand on her side of the bed. She was torn. If that was the caller from before, maybe the matter was more urgent than she'd thought. But there was Walt, about to leave if she didn't try to interfere.

Walt turned to look at her over his shoulder. "I think you should answer that."

She was about to tell him that it could wait, that he was more important, when she realized he had her cordless phone from the nightstand in his hand. She hesitated only a moment more, and then turned towards the bed end table and reached for her cell phone.

"Hello."

Silence.

"Walt, when you call someone, it's customary to initiate conversation when someone answers. Here, let's try it again. I'll start over. Hey, Walt."

"Hey."

"What's up? Need my help with something?"

Walt paused.

"I just wanted to hear your voice. I've missed it these past few weeks. You do not know how many times I almost called you just to hear it."

"And I think about you. To the point of distraction. And my eyes follow you whenever you're not looking. In my truck. Around the office. At a crime scene we're investigating. From what you said earlier, apparently you've caught me a few times."

"So I don't want you thinking I don't want you. That I don't notice...everything about you."

It was not often that Vic was speechless. But the few times she had been recently were after a surprise admission from Walt. Like the time he told her that Martha hadn't died of cancer, but instead had been murdered. And here she was, momentarily speechless again. They were each sitting at the edge of the bed, on opposite sides, their backs to each other. At Walt's admission, Vic wanted to turn around, but she held off from doing so, and just took in his words.

"You're right that I'm worried that it's too soon. That we're moving too quickly. You and Sean may have ended things a month-and-a-half ago, but I just found out this morning. In my mind you've been married and unavailable this whole time, so I'm trying to wrap my mind around it. You're ready to move full steam ahead and I'm still trying to shift gears."

"I've been working through those factors you mentioned earlier. The things holding me back from starting something with you. Henry helped me with some of it earlier today...but when you've put up boundaries for two-and-a-half years, they don't just disappear right away."

Vic switched her cell phone to her left hand so she could peek at Walt over her shoulder. "For the record, I have reservations about this as well. I am worried that I'm going to screw this...us...up. Not because I wouldn't be all in, and not because it's too soon, but because it's what I've always done. Screw things up. And I'm also worried that what happened these past few weeks will repeat itself. Us not communicating very well. You avoiding the situation. Both of us not sharing things. Me getting pissed off. And then I'll screw things up further."

"I think we've been communicating better the last few hours. But I think there's more to talk about."

She agreed. "Like where things stand right now."

"You quit and today was your last day."

"Yep."

"Your movers are coming early tomorrow morning, but you've put your packing on hold since shortly after I arrived."

She smiled into her phone. "I got a little...distracted."

"You have a one-way ticket to Philadelphia Sunday morning."

"Uh huh."

"Your family is expecting to pick you up."

"Yep."

"And move in."

"With my brother Michael."

"Do you have a job lined up?"

"Nope. I really haven't been able to focus on my life back in Philly yet. Did you find a replacement for me?"

"Nope."

"Did you not think I was leaving?"

"I believed you were leaving. I just hadn't come to terms with it yet. There was no way I was going to find someone even remotely right given the state I was in."

"Oh."

"So. If you decide to stay..."

"Mm hmm?"

"I saw the 'For Sale' sign outside."

"Sean wants to sell. And I can't afford to buy him out. And I don't think I'd want to live here even if I could."

"So, if you stay, you're going to need somewhere new to live?"

"Yep. I would need to find a rental. And since I don't currently have a job, I would need one of those to pay for the place I would be renting."

"Do you...do you want your job back at the Sheriff's department?"

Vic turned to look at him over her shoulder. "It depends. Is our working together still an obstacle for us being in a relationship together?"

"If it were...still an obstacle, you'd consider finding another job?"

"Do you want me to work somewhere else?"

"It's not up to me."

"Well, partly it is, since you'd have to agree to hire me back."

"That's not what I mean. If you want your job back, it's yours."

"I want to know what you want."

"I...I want...I want things to not be so complicated."

She froze for a moment. "We can un-complicate things."

Walt sensed something in her voice, and turned to face her.

"That's not...I don't mean it that way."

"I don't want to complicate things for you, Walt."

Walt hung up the phone and brought his hand up to his forehead. "I just meant I wish there was an uncomplicated answer where everyone was happy."

Vic placed her cell phone on the nightstand. "So you're saying you wouldn't be happy if I were your deputy again."

"That's not what I'm saying at all."

They sat in silence.

"I want you to be happy, Vic. I don't want you to make a career decision because you think it would be easier for me. I want you to make the decision that is right for you."

"Are you willing to be in a relationship with me regardless of where I am working?"

"You're making this about me."

"A decision that affects us, affects me, Walt. Despite my reservations I listed earlier, I want to be in a relationship with you. If you're only willing to pursue a relationship with me if we are working separately, than a job outside the Sheriff's department is something I seriously need to consider. But if you're leaving it up to me because you're willing to take a risk...and try to have both a working relationship and a romantic one, then I would prefer to get my old job back. It's work that I love to do, with a partner I love doing it with."

Vic's eyebrows knitted together as she took in Walt's expression. "What?"

"It says a lot."

"What does?"

"That you'd be willing to give up your job for…us?"

"I'm serious. About us being together. Not just the sex part." She smiled at him. "I'm serious about the sex part too."

Walt dipped his head a bit. "You said earlier you're worried about screwing things up between us. I'm worried that I'm going to screw things up as well. If we can't make this work, could you handle the fact that we'd still be working together."

Vic looked at Walt across the bed. "Honestly, I don't know. But I don't want to live my life making decisions based on an expectation that things won't work out."

Walt nodded as he looked down at his hands.

"Do you want to work together, Walt?"

Walt looked over to her side of the bed. "I do." He brought his hand up to smooth the hair at the back of his neck. "These past weeks I got a glimpse of what things would be like not having you as my partner every day…I didn't like it."

"And you're willing to take on both sides of our relationship? You could handle being my boss, and being…together?"

Walt picked up his beer bottle from the end table. "I'm willing to…try…for you…with you."

He was rewarded with a smile, and took a sip of his beer. "Although, sometimes I feel like you're the boss of me at work."

Vic laughed, reaching for her own beer. "That's just because I'm bossy."

Walt smiled. "No. There are just some things you're better at than me."

She smiled and shrugged as she lifted her bottle to her lips.

Walt shifted, moving back to his earlier position, sitting with his back against the headboard, his legs in front of him. Seeing him do this, Vic did the same. Her side lined up with his. Her legs before her, matching how he was seated.

"You said that you're worried we're moving too quickly. If I stay in Durant, you've got to know it's because of you. Does that freak you out?"

Walt looked out in front of him and took another sip of his beer. "No."

"Ok, good. But you're still concerned about moving too quickly. Do you need more space? More time? I don't like the sound of either of those, but if that's what you need..."

"I don't want more space. We've had that these past weeks and it was...hell. And I don't want to risk you wanting to leave again."

He turned his head to look back at her.

"Maybe it's a matter of pace. You need to keep pushing me...to ensure we're moving forward. But know that I may not want to go as fast as you'd like. So it may be one hour. One week. One month. One year before—"

Vic raised an eyebrow and leaned her shoulder into his side. "I'm telling you now, it's not going to be as long as one year. I'm willing to have patience, but a girl can only wait so long."

Walt laughed. "You're right. I know I wouldn't have the patience to wait a year either. It's been hard enough resisting you today."

Vic smiled. "Ok. I'll just put it out there that my vote is for the one hour range, but I'll be patient, and let you slow us down as much as you need until you're ready. But I'm going to make it hard for you to resist me."

"You're going to create a little...what did you call it...Vickie fever?"

"Ugh, I regretted coming up with that term as soon as it left my mouth. I was trying to channel Omar, and it was just the first thing to pop into my head. We will not be repeating that term again."

Walt laughed.

Vic looked over at her cell phone and then back at Walt. "Do you want me to check who called? There's a small chance that the caller was someone looking for you. Henry knows you were planning to come over...right? And if Ruby was looking for you...she might try the Pony when she can't find you at home."

She began to turn towards the nightstand but Walt's hand on her knee stopped her.

"You don't need to." When she turned back towards him his eyes held hers. "I'm not on duty. And like you said, if it was something important they would leave a message."

Vic beamed at him and then dropped her gaze to his hand resting on her knee, expecting Walt to remove it once he realized it was still there. He didn't, and this time the sensation she experienced was definitely not disappointment.


	7. Chapter 7

**I know it's been a while since my last chapter update for this story (I had to re-read my first six chapters to ensure that what I was writing for this chapter still worked). Thanks for your patience, and for sticking with this story. I really appreciate it. And thanks for encouraging me to keep writing it. It's helped me get some focus back with everything that has been going on lately. This is another long chapter, so hopefully that makes up for some of the wait. Let me know what you think. :)**

* * *

With her head leaning back against the headboard, and Walt's hand warm on her knee, Vic closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. She could fall asleep if she let herself do so. After a few minutes, she turned her head towards Walt and slowly opened her eyes. She liked looking at his face when he had his eyes closed.

"Walt?"

"Yep."

She waited until he turned towards her. "I still...I still think I should fly back to Philadelphia on Sunday."

Something flashed across his eyes. Partly disbelief, as if he thought she might be playing with him, and partly fear, as if he thought he might actually be losing her despite all that had recently been said between them.

She realized she should have worded her statement differently. Pulling her legs in towards her and crossing them, Vic sat up straight. She pulled his hand into hers. "I don't mean I'll be permanently leaving."

The look in his eyes eased, but didn't quite disappear.

"I'll buy a ticket for a return flight. I just think...I just think there is a conversation I need to have with my family, and it will be better if I do it in person."

"How do you think they'll take the news that you'll be staying in Durant?"

"They weren't thrilled I was moving out here, but at the same time they understood why Sean and I needed to do it. And we were doing it together. Now, with Sean gone, I'm not sure how well they are going to understand my decision."

Walt bowed his head. "That's surprising, given how favorably you've spoken about Wyoming."

"Funny." She gave him a look. "It's...grown on me." She squeezed his hand. "Some features more than others."

"Except for the pizza."

"Right. Except for the pizza."

"Do your parents know that?"

"That the pizza sucks? Yes. They're devastated by that fact. They don't know how any individual in their right mind could live somewhere that didn't have good pizza."

Walt grinned but didn't raise his head. "I mean that your views about life out here have changed."

Vic pursed her lips. "I don't think I've come out and said I love it here, but...I don't dump on it like I used to."

He looked over at her. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure I haven't been complaining to them about being out here the way I did when we first moved to Wyoming. Like I said, my recent frustrations have been about the people, not the place. And I haven't talked about any of that with my parents. Other than telling them that Sean and I were splitting up."

"I mean are you sure you want to be out here when it's not someplace you...love?"

"As I said, Wyoming's been growing on me."

"You kind of hated it when you first moved here."

She grinned. "I did, didn't I."

Walt raised an eyebrow.

She countered with her own raised eyebrow. "I can't imagine you living anywhere else."

"I went to school in California for four years."

"But I bet you never saw it as your home and you knew you'd always come back here. Wyoming is just...part of who you are."

"And don't you think Philadelphia is part of who you are?"

"Not the way Wyoming is for you. You stand out everywhere else."

"That's because I'm tall and wear a hat."

She grinned. "It's more than that, and you know it." She paused. "I don't hate it out here anymore. And you're not the only factor contributing to that."

He looked skeptically at her.

"I swear!"

He let a moment pass before continuing. "What are you going to say to your parents about why you've decided not to leave?"

"I'm going to tell them I've been unsuccessful at convincing my boss to get in my pants, so I can't possibly leave with that challenge not yet met." She grinned. "I bet my dad will be very impressed with my level of...commitment."

Walt closed his eyes and lightly shook his head.

She lightly tugged on his hand until he opened his eyes.

"Sorry. I couldn't help it." She paused. "I'm going to tell them that I'm not going to do what I've done before which is run away when something gets too...challenging."

She briefly looked off to the side.

"Sean may have stretched the truth, or focused on the wrong things, but one thing he did get right, that he called me out on, was that I wasn't moving back to Philly. I was running away from Durant. I have a tendency to want to change things up when things get complicated. My way of not having to deal with things. So I'm going to tell them I'm going to stick it out and stay."

She looked down at their intertwined fingers.

"I also don't think they quite understand or appreciate my work here. I'm not sure they view being a deputy in Absaroka County all that favorably compared to being a detective in the Philadelphia police department. I don't think they get what makes the jobs similar, or that what makes them unique is what is so challenging and rewarding. I'm going to need to provide some clarity on the subject."

She paused, flipping their hands over.

"However, I haven't quite decided what I'm going to tell them about...you. Or if I'm even going to tell them about how much you contributed to my decision to stay. At least not yet."

She looked over at him to gauge his reaction, but his expression was neutral.

"I don't want my parents to see my action as some rash decision, or that I just jumped from one relationship to the next. And they don't know you, and therefore wouldn't understand why I chose to stay for the chance to see where things go with you."

She noticed that Walt's focus had dropped to their joined hands.

"But even though I'm probably not going to tell them about my evolving relationship with you yet, I need to start laying the groundwork. I think if I really want to start making some traction in having them come around on my decision to stay, and eventually on understanding my relationship with you, it's going to take some heart-to-heart conversation. The kind of conversation that needs to start in person."

Walt turned his head toward her. Again she saw the flicker of concern in his eyes.

She squeezed his hand. "I'm coming back. I promise. I can stay the week in Philadelphia, and then be back by next weekend. If you're ok with me taking this week off work." Releasing his hand, she leaned toward the nightstand and picked up her phone. Opening her browser, she did a quick search. "There's a flight that gets me back in to Billings a little after ten next Saturday morning. Another one gets me in a little before five that evening."

"We were going to lose you permanently. I think we can handle you being gone for a week." He paused. "And if you are interested in my input, I think the earlier flight next Saturday might be the best way to go."

"Oh yeah?"

He paused. "Yep. Traffic won't be as bad on the way back to Durant that early in the day."

She grinned. "You make a very good point. Traffic out here is a very important factor to consider."

"You won't have to spend your whole day traveling."

"True."

"And whoever picks you up at the airport gets to see you for more of the day, and could even take you to lunch."

Her face beamed. "I like that reasoning. Now I just have to figure out who is going to pick me up."

"I'll try to think of some potential candidates for you."

She dropped her gaze and smiled before looking back up at him. She held his eyes for a moment. "And I'll call while I'm away. So we can keep the momentum of...this...going while I'm gone." She paused. "Although talking to you on the phone may be...a little...strange."

"Strange?"

"We haven't ever really talked on the phone, Walt. Sure I've called you to tell you to get your ass over to a crime scene. And you've called to check in on my progress on a case, or to haul my ass in to work on my day off. But we haven't really had a conversation. Not a personal one for sure."

"Didn't we just talk on the phone a little while ago?"

She laughed, thinking back to their simulated phone call. "Well, yes, we're clearly capable of having a personal conversation, but we were still in the same room."

He held her gaze for a moment. "I think we'll do ok."

She smiled and then picked up her phone again. He glanced down at her hands. "What are you doing?"

"Setting an alarm for this Sunday while I'm thinking about it...so I don't miss my flight." She finished entering the information and then put the phone back down.

She looked up at Walt. "Speaking of coming back, how are we going to tell everyone about my change of plans? That I'm not leaving?"

Walt looked out in front of him in contemplation.

"Next week, while you're in Philadelphia, I'll let Ferg and Ruby know that you're coming back. That you and Sean have decided to end your marriage and that you will be returning to Durant, and to your position as deputy. I won't expand any further."

"What if they ask questions?"

"The details aren't any of their business unless you decide to share them. They will both respect your privacy, and you can decide what, if anything, you want to share with them down the road."

She dropped her head. "Ugh...what is everyone going to think? It's kind of embarrassing. I look like a failure, coming back with my tail between my legs."

He brought his finger to her chin and lifted it until their eyes met. "They're not going to think that."

"Mathias will. He's going to rub it in, in some shape or form."

"I've never known you to put up with any of Mathias'..."

"Bullshit?"

"Exactly. I think you'll manage anything he throws your way just fine."

"And crap...there's Omar. He's going to think he had something to do with my change of plans."

Walt laughed. "Well he did have something to do with it, didn't he? I mean he 'called' earlier, and his comments sure got me thinking, so I'd be surprised if they didn't do the same for you."

"Very funny. Don't you dare repeat any of that fake conversation to him!"

"I don't know. There might be some things we could bond over."

"There will be no bonding with Omar on the topic of me, or you'll be facing a Vic-less existence." She grinned. "And are you admitting that you've been longing for me all this time like Omar has?"

He turned his head her way, but didn't say a word, the small smile on his lips his silent confirmation.

After a moment, Walt blinked and cleared his throat. "As for the others, Ruby and Ferg will be professional and supportive. Henry knows more than the others at this point, because of what I shared with him earlier today. I think he will be excited to hear that you are staying, and won't think any differently of you."

She placed her hand on his thigh. "Are you going to tell Cady anything about...us?"

Walt looked down at her hand. "As you and I figure things out, we'll figure out what and when to tell her."

Vic leaned back against the headboard and closed her eyes, maintaining her connection with Walt through her hand on his leg.

After a few minutes Vic turned her head toward him without opening her eyes. "I'm totally craving something sweet right now, but I don't have much food in the house and there's not much open at this time of night."

"Did you check your freezer?"

"There's nothing in my freezer. I cleared it out."

"Let me re-phrase that. You should check your freezer."

She opened one eye and looked in his direction.

"Did you bring over a frozen treat?"

He smiled. "I had to arm myself with more than just words to try to convince you to stay."

Vic laughed. "You know me too well. What did you get?"

"Ice cream. But you're going to have to go find out the flavors yourself."

She laughed again. "Alright, if that's how you're going to play it, I may not bring a spoon back for you."

Walt laughed.

Vic pushed herself to the edge of the bed and then turned back toward Walt. "Can you hand me your plate and empty bottle?"

Walt stood, gathered his dish and bottle from the nightstand and carried them to her. When he reached her side of the bed he handed her what was in his hands. "Need any help?"

"Nope." She was looking down to get a better grip on the plates and bottles, and didn't notice that Walt had leaned in until he was hovering right in front of her. As he placed his lips on hers she stepped back, knocking into the nightstand and then the box next to it.

She giggled. "Ow!" She looked down at some of the items that had scattered on the floor. "Crap." She laughed again, looking up. "You surprised me."

"I'll get it." Walt bent down and then looked up at her. "Go satisfy your sweet tooth."

She beamed as she stepped toward the stop of the stairs. "I'll be back in five. If you're lucky, I won't have eaten all the ice cream by the time I've returned."

Walt grinned as he started picking things up off the floor. "I'd be very impressed if you could eat all of the ice cream in five minutes."

She was almost down the stairs when she called out over her shoulder. "Don't tempt me. You know I find it hard to turn down a challenge."

XX

Vic carried one of the containers of ice cream in her hands, along with two spoons tucked into her pocket. Once she saw which flavors Walt had brought, she relented and decided he would get a spoon too. She climbed back up the stairs, and advanced into the room to find Walt sitting on the floor, leaning back against the side of the bed.

"You remembered my favorite flav—"

When she noticed what he had in his hands she stopped in her tracks, her smile vanishing.

"What the fuck, Walt!"

He looked up, a confused expression on his face.

"I—"

Before waiting for an explanation, Vic strode across the room and snatched her notebook from him, which lay open in his lap.

"Why...why are you reading my notebook? What's in that book, it's...it's personal. And private."

He continued to look up at her, his eyebrows bowing apologetically. "It fell. I...I was just picking it up with the other things. It was open—"

"Just because it was open doesn't give you the right to read it." Her voice was shaky with anger. Her stance defensive.

"I saw my name." He continued to look up at her. "I only read a portion."

Her voice rose in volume. "You shouldn't have read _any_ of it. That wasn't something _for_ you."

She turned around, clasping the notebook to her chest, her back to Walt.

"What is that book?"

Vic didn't respond.

"Vic?"

"Walt, it's none of your business." Her voice sounded harsh to her own ears.

"It seemed like a letter you wrote to me. How is that none of my business?"

"I didn't write it so you could read it."

"Then why did you write it?"

She didn't respond.

"Vic?"

She took a few calming breaths. "I...I didn't really have anyone to talk to these last weeks. Everything was eating me up inside. So this book was an...outlet. I didn't write any of it for anyone else's eyes."

"Are they all letters to me?"

"No." She paused as she turned back toward him. "There are ones to Sean, and Branch, and Henry."

"You were frustrated with Henry?"

"I don't vent in all the letters. Henry was away, so I wrote him a few letters letting him know what was going on in his absence."

He stared blankly at her. She felt another wave of anger roll through and she turned around and walked to the top of the stairs. She thought about leaving. She thought about how satisfying it would be to slam the door behind her.

She wanted to know the extent of the damage. "What exactly did you read?"

"It...it was a letter you wrote after Branch shot Barlow. You talk about showing up at the scene and the state I was in."

Vic bit her lower lip and exhaled deeply.

"Vic—"

"Can we just be silent for a moment?"

"Vic. I'm sorry. I didn't—"

"Seriously, Walt. I'm really pissed right now, and if you keep talking I'm going to lose it."

She thought about jumping in his truck and driving off. She thought about telling him to leave, to give her some space.

At this moment the alarm on Vic's cell phone went off, startling both of them. She turned her head toward the nightstand, and saw Walt do the same. The beeping continued, but everything else was silent. And then Vic started to laugh. Quietly at first, and then heartily. Tears formed in her eyes, and she wiped them away.

She looked over and met Walt's questioning eyes.

"What was the alarm for?"

Vic gave a final laugh, and then coughed to clear her throat. "You said earlier that you didn't know if it would be one hour, one week, one month or one year before you would be ready to...be together, but that I needed to keep pushing you. That was the 'one hour' alarm."

Walt opened and closed his mouth. He tried again, but no words came.

Vic walked to the table and turned off the alarm, and then moved to the wall and slid down into a seated position, dropping the carton of ice cream to the floor beside her.

"When did you set the alarm?"

"When I set the alarm to wake me up for my Sunday morning flight, I set this one as well."

She looked over at Walt and saw the agony still written across his face. She closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths and tried to look at the situation more rationally. She had wanted to be with Walt just a little while ago and now here she was ready to bolt because he accidentally saw something she hadn't been ready for him to see.

She opened her eyes, and stared at Walt again. Dropping her gaze, she opened the notebook on her lap until she found what she was looking for. With her mind made up, she stood and walked over to the bed, holding out the open book.

"You can read the whole letter."

Walt didn't move.

"It's ok. You can read it."

Walt hesitantly raised his hand to take the book, and then brought it down to rest in his lap. Vic went back to the wall, picked up the carton of ice cream and returned to Walt's side. Once she was seated next to him, she removed the lid and dug in with a spoon.

"Do you want me to read it out loud?"

"Hell no."

Walt kept his eyes on her for a moment and then dropped them to the page to begin reading.

_Walt,_

_I don't know how to help you. You seem like you don't want my help, but you need someone's help. I really wish I could be that person who could help you, but I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, and you won't let me in._

_When the call came in of a reported gunshot, it did not even cross my mind that Branch and Barlow would be involved. Even with all of Branch's recent shit, he didn't cross my mind because I thought his demons had all died along with David Ridges._

_When Ferg and I pulled up, you were the first person I saw. Both you and Branch bore haunted looks, but yours scared the shit out of me. Your sheriff instincts had obviously kicked in because the ambulance you had Ruby call was right behind us, but the sheriff I knew wasn't the man I saw before me. _

_At that time, you and Branch knew what Ferg and I did not. The role that Barlow had played in Martha's murder, and the chain of events that had occurred to cover it up. _

_When I walked across the space between us and placed my hand on your arm, the look that crossed your eyes when you gazed up at me was one filled with pain and surprise. I don't think you had even registered that I had arrived until that moment. _

_Did you even realize it was me at first?_

_Why did you pull away at my touch?_

_Did I do something that caused you to retreat into yourself?_

_So many questioned filled my thoughts, but you wouldn't say a word, and Branch was in no shape to be of any help._

_I knew I needed to get the two of you to the hospital. I also knew I needed to find out what happened, in order to figure out how to be there for you._

_Eventually Branch was able to tell me about what Barlow did. How I felt for you in that moment. All that pain you had suffered through these past few years, only to be blindsided by an even more painful truth. _

_But being armed with the truth didn't help me make any progress with you. In fact it seemed to make you pull farther away._

_And here I am, sitting at the bar at the Red Pony, writing this letter. You didn't come in to work today. You didn't answer your phone. Your truck wasn't outside your cabin when I stopped by, and if you were home, you didn't come to the door when I knocked. _

_How can I help you when I don't know how to reach you? _

_I wish Henry was here so I could talk to him. I wish Henry was here so you could talk to him._

_I wish you were here, Walt. I wish you would let me help you._

Walt closed the book and looked up when he was finished reading. Vic put the carton of ice cream and her spoon on the nightstand, and then looked down at her lap.

"When..." Walt started and then stopped. Vic ran her fingers along the carpet, waiting for him to continue.

Walt stood and sat down on the edge of the bed and cleared his throat. "When we were able to prove Henry's innocence, my heart leapt. And for a moment there I felt that the good in the world could overcome the evil that continually plagues us."

Vic stilled her hand, stood and joined Walt, sitting at his side. Neither of them looked at the other.

"But as the dust settled, I came to the conclusion that evil would always win. The Nighthorses of this world would continue to get by, consequence-free. Money. Power. Connections. Greed. Corruption. They'd always triumph."

Walt's hands gripped the edge of the mattress on both sides of him.

"And in that moment of realization, I became calm. I knew what I needed to do. I didn't know if Martha could forgive me. Or Cady. Or Henry. Or you. But I was decided."

"I was willing to sacrifice my freedom, and possibly my life, to get some sort of balance back. Good over evil. Fairness over dishonesty, and deception, and indecency. And like Ahab going single-mindedly after that great white whale, I went after my own obsession. Justice. No matter what the cost. If it couldn't be achieved through legal means, then I would go outside the law to do it."

Walt continued to stare out in front of him.

"I loaded my gun."

"I cleared my mind."

"I set out with a purpose that couldn't be thwarted."

"Nighthorse was mine. I could not forgive him. I could not let him go free."

"And then that gunshot rang out, and for the first time I paused."

"Whether it was my instinct as a lawman, the proximity of the blast that couldn't be ignored, or a moment of doubt regarding my mission, that shot pulled me out of myself. I put my revenge plot on hold, convincing myself the diversion was just temporary. Somebody was in need, and it was my duty to respond, or evil would win again."

"I arrived at the scene and saw the blood. I saw the casings. I saw Branch in shock, and Barlow dead. I dove into sheriff mode, trying to discern what had happened and do what needed to be done. And then Branch started speaking, and his words shattered me."

"After that, everything blurred. There you were touching my arm, when I didn't even remember you arriving. There were your eyes filled with concern and something more, and I was filled with horror at what I had almost done. There you were as a reminder of what is good in this world and in my life, and there was I, willing to throw that all away."

"I looked at you in that moment and saw my failings, and I pulled into myself out of shame. How could I face you when I had disregarded everything about you and what you meant to me? How could I deserve you when I so easily would have given it all up? How could I let you get close to me when there were people in this world who wanted to harm the ones I cared about? How could I profess to seek justice when I would have tried to achieve it by murdering another man?"

"It all had me reeling and the only action I could take was to withdraw into myself. To protect you from what I was responsible for. From what I was capable of."

He bowed his head and held up the book. "I hurt you. And I could have hurt you even more. How could you ever forgive me?"

Vic pushed off the bed and stood in front of Walt until he looked up. The sheen of his eyes matched her own. She stepped forward, so that she was standing between his legs, her head slightly higher than his in his seated position. She took the book and placed it on the bed.

"Vic I'm sorry for reading your book when it fell. I'm sorry for pulling into myself after learning the truth about Barlow. I'm sorry for what I almost did—"

She cut him off. "I...I fly off the handle quite easily, Walt. You should know that more than anyone."

She turned her head to look down at the book.

"When I saw the book, open in front of you, I felt...exposed. I lashed out because I don't trust easily."

She returned her gaze to his. "But I do trust you. I just reacted. Over-reacted. I reacted that way because I had been keeping things from you. And you seeing what I'd written but couldn't say to you...it was shining a light on that."

She closed her eyes for a moment. "You're right. I _was_ hurt by your actions. By how you shut me out."

She paused.

"But the hell you were going through. I didn't understand. I thought I did, but I didn't."

She opened her eyes to look at him directly. "I can stand here and tell you that you should have opened up to me, but it's not that simple."

She briefly touched his cheek. "And you're doing it now. Opening up more. And that's something."

The pain in his eyes still shone through.

"I'm glad Barlow had to die so that you could live. That's what I call balance. Evil replaced by good."

Vic took another step forward and touched his arms. She then slid her hands up to his shoulders. And then finally, when he didn't pull away, she wrapped her arms around him. He sat there motionless, and then brought his arms around her. They stayed that way for several minutes.

With a deep exhale of breath, Walt pulled back, his arms sliding to her hips. "How are you not already on a one-way flight back to Philadelphia? What did I do to have you even consider staying here...for me?"

"I didn't have a choice. About staying."

"Why?"

"Because I'm...I'm kind of in love with you Walt. And when you showed up last night, I had no choice but to stay."

And with that admission she dropped her gaze, not sure she wanted to see Walt's reaction.

She leaned over to the nightstand and picked up the carton of ice cream. Straightening, she scooped some out, and took a bite. His eyes on her, she scooped out some more and placed the spoonful in his mouth, laughing when he cocked an eyebrow at the sudden cold sensation. She put the carton down on the bed and then leaned in and briefly kissed his chocolatey lips. As she lifted her head, she tried to read the look in his eyes. He watched her intently for a moment and then pulled her back to him, covering her mouth with his. His hands roamed across her back, and hers found their way to his hair and the back of his neck. When she felt him try to lower them down to the bed she pulled back.

His eyes looked up at her quizzically.

"I...I want you to read everything I wrote in the book."

His eyes darted down to the book and then back up to her face.

"I think it's important for you to know everything I couldn't say these past weeks. The words won't always be easy to read. I'm not sure whether it will change how you feel about me. But I think I need to be open with you, and this is the best way I know how right now."

"Vic. You don't need to do this."

"I do."

He paused. "Do you want me to just read the letters written to me?"

"No, all of them." She dropped her head slightly. "I think I should warn you...there may be a few times I address you as ''Asshole.' And sometimes Sean is 'Jackass,' and Branch is 'Crazy as Shit.' I hope you're not too offended."

The corners of Walt turned upwards. "We probably deserved it."

Vic nodded. "It felt like it at the time."

Walt rested his hands on her hips, keeping his eyes locked on hers. "Ok."

He suddenly reached over, grabbed the spoon, scooped out some ice cream, and placed the loaded spoon in his mouth.

"I think we should lie down. It looks like I have some reading ahead of me."

Vic snatched the spoon and picked up the ice cream container. "Good idea."

He stood. Vic stood as well, and flopped down on the bed. Walt walked around to the other side of the bed, crawled onto the mattress next to her and stretched out on his back. He tucked a pillow under his head, and then pulled her against him, her head resting near his shoulder. He held the book up with his other hand.

"You ready?"

She shifted to look up at him. "I hope so."

XX

Vic opened her eyes, looking up at the shadowy ceiling. She had fallen asleep and didn't know how long she had been out. She rolled her head to look at Walt, who was awake and still reading.

"What time is it?"

He didn't look up from the book. "Very late. Or very early, depending on how you look at it. Technically it is now Saturday."

"Sorry I fell asleep on you. Literally." She looked at the book in his hand. "You close to finishing?"

"I'm on my second round of reading."

She lifted her head in surprise.

"Really?"

He closed the book and set it down on the bed next to him.

"I didn't re-read everything. Just a few sections."

She tried to remember the last letter they'd discussed before she'd fallen asleep. She thought it was the letter she wrote after she almost told him about the fact that she and Sean were divorcing.

"Do you want to talk about the other letters?"

"Yes. But not now."

"Ok."

They lay silently for a moment.

She looked over at her nightstand, her eyes falling on the clock. She cringed at how late it was. "I think we should get some sleep. I'm going to go put on some sweat pants and get out of these jeans." She lifted herself up, and then turned toward him. "That is if you're up for staying."

She stood up from the bed and walked over to the closet. She went directly to the back wall and started digging through one of the packed boxes until she found a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. She turned to find Walt in the doorway.

When she reached his side, she turned off the closet light, and turned to make her way to the bathroom to change, but Walt placed a hand on her elbow and stopped her.

She leaned back against the door jamb and looked up at him, finding the right side of his face lit, the left in shadows.

Without a word Walt took the clothes from her hand and placed them over his left shoulder.

"There are a couple things we need to knock off your list first."

Her forehead creased in confusion. "My list?"

"The list you shared with Henry on your 'call' earlier."

Realization of what he was referring to dawned on her and she smiled. "Oh yeah? Which items?"

"I think you mentioned something about fairness. That you've seen me without my shirt on, but I haven't had the same opportunity."

Walt brought his hands to the bottom of her tank top and slowly began to pull it up and then over her head. When he lifted it off her he dropped it on the floor.

Vic stared up at him. "You seem very fond of the doorway to this closet. It seems it's where you are best at...taking action."

Walt reached around her and began to work on the clasp to her bra. When he was able to unfasten it, he pulled off each strap, and then removed it.

His eyes did not drop from hers, but his hands began to move across her bare skin.

"I thought my point was about you getting to _see_ me, since I got to see you. You haven't even looked." She closed her eyes as his hands moved up her rib cage. "And I didn't say anything about touching. I have hadn't had a chance to do that."

Walt stepped back and pulled the t-shirt from his shoulder. He put his hands on each side of the opening and pulled it over her head. Her eyes were immediately on his when her head popped through. He helped her put her arms through the sleeves, and then pulled the shirt down.

Her throat felt a little dry, and her voice cracked a bit. "What's next on your list?"

"You mean your list?"

All she could do was nod in response.

"You mentioned that I tend to stare at your legs."

"And my ass."

He smiled. "And that I've probably wanted to determine whether your jeans are painted on. I think it's time to test that theory."

"You know me. Always up for a challenge."

Walt's hands found her belt, and began loosening the buckle. Once undone, he pulled the belt out of the loops and dropped it the floor to join the other garments. He then unfastened the button of her jeans, pulled down the zipper and began to pull down the sides.

"You're very good at this."

"I've had my eye on these jeans for a while. I think I was well prepared for this moment."

Vic laughed out loud.

Walt bent down to the ground to help her out of the jeans, and then ran his hands up her bare legs. She shivered at his touch. When he reached her waist he removed his hands from her sides, pulled the sweats from his shoulder, and then helped her step into them.

Once the sweat pants were on, he stood and leaned against the door jamb on his side of the doorway, his eyes scanning her length appreciatively.

She blushed furiously, thankful that her face was mostly in shadow.

She stepped closer to him.

"Are you going to stay?"

"Yep."

"Are you going to sleep in those clothes?"

He looked at her for a moment. "Nope."

She took another step closer and started unbuttoning his shirt. Once it was completely unfastened she removed it from his shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

"Do you want a t-shirt to wear?"

She sensed him tense.

"It's not one of Sean's. It's a shirt I sort of stole from my brother. You can't tell him. He lent it to me one time I was back in Philly visiting, and I'd forgotten to bring pajamas. I liked it so much, I brought it back with me to Durant, but wouldn't admit it when he asked me if I had it."

Walt's eyes watched her as she ran the tips of her fingers down his bare chest.

"I don't need the shirt."

"What if I need you to wear the shirt?"

"Do you?"

She let out a breathy laugh. "I guess I will have to suffer through it. But I can't make any promises about keeping my hands off you."

She brought her hand to his buckle and started to loosen it.

"You might've had your eye on my jeans, but I've had my eye on this belt of yours. It seems almost surreal that I'm actually getting to take it off you."

She pulled it off him and threw it in the pile, and brought her hands back up to the top of his jeans.

"I'm glad you did the hard work, and took of your boots beforehand."

He grinned as she unzipped his jeans and started to pull them down. He placed his hand on her shoulder as she pulled off each leg.

She stood holding the jeans. "I can confirm that your jeans are _not_ painted on."

He smiled, took the jeans from her hands and threw them in the pile. He leaned down and pulled off his socks, and then straightened.

Walt ushered them both back into the bedroom. He leaned into the bathroom and shut off the light, before turning back to her.

With his hand at her back, they made their way to the bed.

She turned toward him. "You ok taking the other side of the bed, or do you want this one?"

"Either side works for me, so if this is your usual side I'll take the other one."

She got under the covers, while Walt walked around to the other side. She felt the mattress lower a bit under his weight as she turned off the lamp. Resting her head on the pillow as he did the same, the reality of what they were doing seemed to hit them both at the same time. There was a moment of silence as it sunk in.

She reached out until her hand found his side. "Are you sure you're ok with this? It's a big step. Sleeping together."

"We've slept together multiple times tonight."

"Yeah, but that was not intentional, and we were fully clothed. And technically I was the only one sleeping last time."

"I'm ok with this. Are you? Are you ok that we won't be doing anything more than sleeping?"

"If these are the steps we need to take to get you ready for more, I'm in. In fact, you kind of surprised me back at the closet. I didn't think you were ready for that. What changed?"

She felt Walt find her hand in the dark with his. "When you were stating your list of reasons we should be together in your 'conversation' with Henry, you missed the most important one."

She turned her head to face him in the dark.

"What's that?"

"I'm kind of in love with you too."


	8. Chapter 8

Vic lay on her back, staring through the dark at the faint shadows on the ceiling. She listened for any sign that Walt might also be awake, but all she could hear was the silence pressing down around her.

The silence was something she'd had to adjust to when she'd first moved to Durant. It had overwhelmed her in its utter completeness those first few months, unlike anything she'd experienced in Philadelphia.

Tonight the silence was giving her mind permission to wander, and right now she was thinking about the space between her and Walt on the bed.

She turned her head to the left and stretched to see the clock. Ugh. She had to stop looking at the time or she'd never fall asleep.

As she turned her eyes back toward the ceiling she was startled by Walt's hand on her arm.

"What are you thinking about?" He ran his knuckles slowly along her skin, just above her elbow.

She hadn't realized he was awake. Or that he knew something was on her mind, keeping her up.

"I was..." She paused. "I was wondering if we've each grown too used to sleeping alone."

His hand stilled on her arm but he didn't remove it. She knew questions were running through his head, and that he was waiting for her to continue.

"I've slept in an empty bed for a month and a half, but it's actually felt like much longer than that."

She paused.

"With Sean's travel and the nights I would stay at the office instead of going home, we were apart more than we were together. And when we did share a bed, most of the time it felt like I was still in it alone. There was a separateness about us. A distance between us."

She felt his fingers start to move along her arm again.

"So I became used to staying on my side. Sliding in to bed late at night, after he'd fallen asleep, careful not to wake him. Not breaching the divide between us in case it caused us to have to deal with what we were trying so hard not to confront. And even when...even when we tried to use sex to...compensate for what we were not dealing with directly...we went to our separate sides when we were done."

She rolled her head to the side, trying to peer at him in the dark.

"Tonight...I feel like you and I are both clinging to our sides of the bed."

Silence. Again. And then movement.

Walt lifted the covers up, and slid closer to her, as his arm wrapped around her and pulled her toward him. They came together near the middle of the bed.

Her head on his chest near his shoulder, she felt his arm rest along her back and his hand land near her hip.

"I...I don't want to push you Walt. I know you're trying to adjust to what's going on between us. I don't want to make things uncomfortable for you."

"This is anything but uncomfortable." She felt his words, warm again her skin. "You're right. I've slept alone for a long time. Your being next to me in not uncomfortable. I'm just not used to it. I've had boundaries up between the two of us for so long...it's just an adjustment. That's all."

She squeezed his side and then lay her arm on his chest. His soft breathing near her ear was comforting, and she let her eyes drift close. With Walt's fingers slowly moving at her side, and earlier thoughts still slipping through the cracks, she realized she had something more to share.

"I...I was also thinking about Sean...and us."

If the silence was capable of becoming more silent, this is what it appeared to do in that moment as Walt stilled beside her. She ran her hand slowly up and down his chest, hoping it would reassure him.

"I was thinking about how Sean is partly responsible for us...lying here together right now."

He pulled his head back slightly, and she pictured his eyes on her. As if he could see her despite the dark.

"Sean was trying to stick it to you...to both of us...when he pulled that shit and sent the divorce papers to you to serve to me. But, if he hadn't had them delivered to you yesterday, you might never have come over."

She heard him take a breath and then the slow exhale.

His voice came out quietly. "Sean's not solely responsible. If you hadn't let me in last night. If you hadn't decided to stay in Durant."

She countered. "If you hadn't managed to get up the nerve to come over. If you hadn't decided to give us a chance."

"I would probably be spending a sleepless, miserable night on my couch."

"And my movers would be putting up with a grouchy, short-tempered Vic in the morning."

She moved her hand slowly across his chest.

"So yes..._we're_ ultimately responsible...for us. But Sean's actions lit a fire underneath us."

Walt returned his head to its previous position near hers. "So...should we thank Sean?"

She laughed in to his neck. "Apparently pissing him off, and him responding like an asshole, worked in our favor."

"Wait...I thought I was the asshole, and he was the jackass."

Vic laughed again, thinking back to her terms of endearment within the letters she'd written in her notebook.

"You're no longer an asshole, but he will likely always be a jackass."

Again she ran her fingers through the hair on his chest.

"So I've shared why I was still up. What have you been thinking about that's kept you awake?"

After a few moments of silence, she lifted her hand to his face, tracing his jaw while she waited for him to answer.

"I was thinking about that first letter you had me read."

She brought her hand down to rest near his collar bone.

"I wasn't thinking so much of the letter, but of the point in time that it references."

He paused.

"Before Branch's gunshot rang out."

"Before I picked up my gun, focused on my anger toward Nighthorse."

"I realized it was finally time to do what I should have done a long time ago."

He shifted his head slightly.

"I...I kept Martha's ashes in a box on a shelf in my kitchen. I thought...I thought that if she could watch over me, she could keep me in line. I thought that with that box always in sight, I could keep her near. But all that box did was make it all more difficult…"

He paused again.

"Martha deserved better than that, but I wasn't ready to let her go."

A deep breath. A long exhale.

"Cady deserved better than having a father who was stuck and couldn't move on."

His hand came to rest at the back of her head.

"And you deserved better than someone who kept holding on to the past. And anger. And guilt."

His hand dropped to the back of her neck.

"After we were able to get Henry's charges dropped, I knew that there needed to be some closure. For all of us. Definitely for Martha. So I took the box, and scattered the ashes on the hill where we were married."

His head shifted back toward her, his chin resting against her forehead.

"I was thinking about that right now. Endings. And new beginnings. It's what brought us together tonight. Other things had to end for us to begin. It's a strange thing to wrap my mind around. And what's most surprising is that, for the first time, I don't feel guilty. I don't feel that what I had with Martha is lessened because of what I feel for you."

He brought his right hand up to cradle her left shoulder. "Are you ok? With me saying all that to you?"

She nodded into his chest. "I know how much you loved Martha, Walt. And can only imagine what it was like to lose her. The way you lost her."

She pressed further into him.

"I don't ever want you to think you can't talk to me about her. She was...is...such a significant part of your and Cady's lives."

Walt brought his lips to her forehead, keeping them there as he held her to his side.

XX

Vic woke to the early morning sun flooding the room, and the chirping of birds coming through the open window. Her head was no longer on Walt's chest, but she was still at his side, her left arm resting on his. He was lying on his back, and she found herself greatly enjoying the sight of him sleeping.

Still foggy with sleep, she craned her head to check the clock on the nightstand, and then returned her gaze to Walt, finding his eyes now open and on her.

A smile broke on Vic's face, and she reached out and slid her arm over his chest. "Morning." She didn't know why she had whispered her greeting.

Walt blinked, his eyes softening as he took her in. "Morning."

She trailed her fingers across his chest, resting her chin on his shoulder. "When you were planning to come over here yesterday, did you expect you'd be waking up half-naked in my bed this morning?"

"Half-naked? I'm more like seven-eighths naked."

Vic laughed and then slid her arm down and lifted the covers that were draped over the lower half of his body. Raising her head she glanced downward. "Yep. Seven-eighths looks about right.'

Grabbing the sheet from her, Walt laughed.

Returning her arm to his chest and her head to his shoulder she resumed her questioning. "So, when you were planning to come over, did you expect to be here, seven-eighths naked, lying beside me in just your boxers?"

"Planning is too generous of a word. I didn't _plan_ to come over here. More like I was compelled."

"Ok. Compelled. But did you anticipate that you would be staying the night?"

"Was that the first question in your thoughts when you woke up this morning? Whether I'd hoped to be naked in your bed?"

"My hand was busy running along your bare chest. Can you blame me for thinking about it?"

The corners of his mouth turned upwards.

She lifted her head. "What were you thinking about when you first woke up?"

He grinned as he looked down at her hand. "You were next to me on the bed and your hand was on my bare chest. All thinking kind of stopped there."

She grinned broadly as she slid her hand up his side. "So if I hadn't asked you a question, you would have continued to lie there, free from all thought."

He looked up at her, a gleam in his eyes. "If your hand was still running across my chest...then, yes."

She dropped her head, and silently continued to run her fingers along his abdomen.

After a moment she shifted and glanced up at him. "You still haven't answered my question."

"I've been stalling for time, trying to shift into thinking mode...but your hand is still quite...distracting."

She smiled into his chest.

Walt paused. "I don't think I was thinking that far ahead. I was just thinking about whether you'd even let me in the front door."

She continued to grin. "I was kind of pissed, so I can see that."

"And if you managed to let me in, I didn't know if you'd even listen to what I came over to say. Partly because I didn't completely know what I was going to stay. I just knew I needed to come over...to apologize, and to say...something."

Vic raised her head again. "I like that you are seven-eighths naked in my bed, whether you had let yourself hope for it or not." She grinned down at him, and brought her hand to the edge of his boxers. "We just have to work on the last eighth."

"Or maybe we can work on balancing out the level of nakedness. A little of that fairness you mentioned last night."

Vic grinned, and then moved her left leg across his waist as she sat up, straddling him. Crossing her arms, she brought her hands down to the hem of her shirt. "We could take care of that right now."

Walt laughed, covering her hands with his. "We'll get there in time. You've been..._distracting_ me quite a bit already this morning."

She smiled down at him. Her position on his lap had already informed her of his level of distraction.

"Speaking of distractions. I'm starving. I think we should grab something to eat, and then, once we're both well-fed and thinking more clearly, we can get back to our discussion on how to even things up, nakedness-wise."

She lifted her leg and moved to a seated position on the bed beside him. "Of course, all I have to eat is pizza and ice cream."

"There were some breakfast items in the bag I brought over last night."

Vic sat up straighter. "Wait a minute. Bringing over breakfast food sounds like you expected to be here this morning. I thought you weren't thinking that far ahead?"

"I..." Walt bowed his head. "The breakfast food wasn't for _us_. It was for _you_."

"Is that so?"

"I didn't have any expectations about staying the night when I bought them. I...I was just thinking your fridge was probably pretty bare."

Vic arched an eyebrow. "Your explanation seems a little thin, but I'm hungry, so let's go eat, and I'll decide if I believe you later."

Walt laughed, got out of the bed and walked over to the closet. When he reemerged in the bedroom, he was pulling his arm into a sleeve of his button-down shirt.

"I noticed the movers didn't show up this morning."

Vic sat on the edge of the bed, trying not to show her disappointment that he was getting dressed. "I cancelled them last night."

Walt looked at her quizzically as he paused putting on his shirt. "When last night? I don't remember you calling them."

"I called them from the phone in the kitchen when I went downstairs to get the pizza and beer."

Walt looked to the side as he thought about the timing. "I didn't think you'd decided to stay at that point."

"Oh, I decided to stay when you admitted you wanted me to stay. Maybe even before that. Probably as soon as I answered my door and found you standing there looking...not quite yourself."

Walt's look softened as he continued to hold her eyes. As he pulled his arm through the other sleeve, Vic stood up, stepped in front of him and began fastening the bottom button of his shirt. After buttoning only the lower three buttons she stepped back.

He looked down.

"I think you should leave it like that. After all, it's casual Saturday. I personally think that you shouldn't put the shirt on at all, but if you have to, no sense in covering everything up."

She smiled before turning on her heels and heading for the stairs. "You coming? My stomach waits for no one."

"You're not worried that I'll make a dash for my truck when we pass the front door?"

She grinned as she paused at the top of the stairs, looking back at him as he walked toward her. She was happy to see that not only had he left the rest of the buttons unfastened as she'd suggested, he'd chosen not to put his jeans back on. "If you want to leave without your pants on, by all means, I'd love to see it happen." Her smile wavered a bit. "In all seriousness, if you want to really leave, Walt, you can. I've already held you hostage here for over twelve hours."

He stepped to her side. "I chose to stay." He held her eyes briefly before looking down the stairs. "Plus, I brought my favorite bagels, which I'm looking forward to having for breakfast. Coming?" With that he headed down to the first floor and then turned left toward the kitchen.

"I knew it! You did want to have breakfast with me."

From the kitchen, Walt laughed out loud.

XX

Vic hoisted herself up on the counter and then picked up the cereal bowl beside her. Watching Walt slice strawberries into two bowls of yogurt, she lifted the spoon to her mouth.

"Is this what you usually do on Saturday mornings?"

"What? Prepare breakfast for beautiful blonds?"

She blushed, but thankfully he didn't notice as his attention was on his task. She took another spoonful to give herself a moment to recover.

"I'm just having trouble picturing a typical Walt Longmire weekend morning."

"Have you been trying to picture me lounging around in my boxers?"

"I can't picture you _lounging_. Ever." She had definitely pictured the boxers. Although the real thing had been so much better to behold.

Walt paused, looking over his shoulder at her, before returning to the strawberries. "I read. Do some chores. Meet up with Henry from time to time."

He turned with a bowl of strawberries and yogurt in his hands, which he handed to her, taking the empty cereal bowl she was holding. "Cady and I have been having breakfast together most Saturdays."

"Did you have plans with her this morning?"

"Yep. But I rescheduled."

Vic grinned. "Because you thought you'd be seven-eighths naked in bed with me?"

Walt pressed his lips together, momentarily looking past her. "Because I didn't think I'd be good company...for anyone. I still expected you to be leaving."

Vic's expression sobered, and she waited for Walt's gaze to return to her. "Did she question why you were rescheduling?"

The toaster, which Vic had scrounged up from one of the packed boxes, dinged, and the bagel halves Walt had placed in it a few minutes earlier popped out. He leaned over and pulled them out, dropping them on a nearby plate.

Opening a jar of peanut butter, he began to spread some on one of the halves. "No. I think she suspected your departure was affecting me, and was willing to give me some space."

"Does she know how you..."

"Feel about you?"

"Yeah."

"I...I'm not sure. We've never talked about it before. But she was looking kind of oddly at the two of us as we were sitting around the table at the Pony on Thursday."

"She was? I didn't notice."

"Could have been because you were—"

"Royally pissed at you?"

"Yep." He took a bite of the bagel, nodding as he chewed.

"And focused on your confusing behavior that evening."

"Confusing?"

"You showed up, to start with. You joined us at the table and were talking to me...directly. And you offered to give me a ride home."

"Right. That would be confusing given—"

"How you'd been basically avoiding me up until then."

Walt took another bite. "Uh huh."

Vic leaned toward him and took a bite of the bagel he was holding in mid-air.

"Hey."

She smiled. "How's that any different than stealing a few of your fries off your plate at the Bee? You let me do that all the time."

"You're so stealthy, I can't really do anything about your fry-snatching. If you took the fries out of my fingers as I was about to eat them, that would be a different story."

"Hmm. I'll have to try that sometime. Eating someone else's food is always more satisfying, for some reason." She quickly stole a smear of peanut butter off his bagel and slipped her finger in her mouth as she grinned.

Walt took another bite and then held out the last piece before her. She brought her lips down around his fingers as he placed the remainder of the bagel in her mouth.

Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he reached out and took the bowl of yogurt from her hands and placed it on the counter. Her breath caught as he stepped in between her legs and placed a hand on the counter beside each of her hips.

He stood, silently watching her, and she began to squirm slightly under his gaze. But as she opened her mouth to say something, he leaned forward and captured her lips with his. He stepped in closer, and she wrapped her legs around his waist to keep him there. After a moment, her arms snaked around his neck, and she felt his hands grip the back of her sweat pants.

After a few intense minutes he pulled back, resting his forehead against hers, both of their breathing labored.

"Vic—"

Suddenly Vic jerked her head back. "What was that sound?"

His hands still on her hips, Walt turned his head toward the front of the house and listened.

Vic suddenly straightened, lowering her legs. "That's a car coming up the driveway."

Placing a hand on Walt's chest, she gently pushed him back, jumped down from the counter and rushed over to the front window by the couch, standing at the side to peer out discreetly.

"Holy crap, Henry's truck is pulling up!"

She turned back toward Walt who was approaching her side. His expression was one of alertness.

She took in their state of dress. "Uh...should I just not answer when he knocks?"

"My truck is out front, so he knows I'm in here."

"Right." She looked around the room. "Ok." Her eyes fell back on him. "Right."

Walt suddenly turned towards the stairs, taking the steps two at a time, with Vic on his heels. When she reached the top, Walt was already dropping their pile of clothes on the bed.

They both heard Henry knock on the front door.

She yanked off her shirt and grabbed her bra, catching Walt watching her out of the corner of her eye. She thought back to the moment in the closet doorway before they went to bed. "Oh, so now you're actually taking a look."

He grinned as he pulled his jeans over his hips and then leaned down to put on his socks. "Well...we were talking about balance and fairness, right?"

With an eyebrow arched, she fastened her bra and pulled her t-shirt back on, and then removed her sweats and pulled on her jeans.

"I'm going to head down."

"Ok." Walt stopped a moment to look at her, and she paused, holding his eyes.

Henry knocked again, causing Vic to spin towards the stairs.

At the top of the steps she turned back toward Walt, who was fastening the top buttons on his shirt that Vic had previously left undone. "You do realize that Henry saw you in that shirt yesterday, right?"

And then, with a pivot, she bounded down the stairs.

She ran her fingers through her hair before opening the front door, finding Henry about to head back to his truck.

"Henry!"

Henry turned, and greeted her with a quizzical smile.

"I expected the movers to still be here packing up. I came with coffee and snacks." He held up a tray of coffee cups and a box that likely contained some baked goods as he joined her in the doorway.

"Actually, change of plans."

It was at this moment that the squeaky step groaned under Walt's weight, and they both looked up to see him halt near the top of the stairs.

Henry peered up at his friend, and Vic watched her visitor out of the corner of her eye. If he was surprised by the sight of Walt coming down the stairs, he didn't show it. "Good morning, Walt."

Watching Henry's face, she saw his eyes scan Walt, causing her to turn and take another look of her own. She let out a laugh as she took Walt in, coughing to try to cover it up. He'd managed to find her brothers t-shirt in her closet. Luckily it seemed to fit well.

Walt was carrying a packing box with him down the stairs. When he reached the bottom of the steps, he placed the box down, and Vic saw that it was loaded with books.

"Do these go in your office or on a shelf down here?"

She knew very well he had just pulled them off her shelf in the upstairs office.

"Depends on which books they are."

Walt straightened. "Morning, Henry."

Henry's eyes darted back and forth between them.

"Walt's here helping me...unpack." Vic inwardly cringed at her explanation for Walt being in her house and coming down her stairs.

Henry pulled his eyes away from Walt. "I wasn't aware that you needed to _un_pack."

"Well, we're not unpacking everything. Just the essentials. I will be moving, once I find a new place." She smiled at Henry. "I've decided to stick around."

Once again Henry looked back and forth between them, and then down at the box on the floor.

"Books are essential?"

A pause as her brain went into gear. "Absolutely...according to Walt, that is." Henry's smile matched hers. "I think we should be focused on unpacking mainly stuff from the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom...but you know Walt." Again she cringed, hoping Henry couldn't read minds like he could read faces.

"How did you come to this decision to stay?" His smile indicated he might already know the answer.

"Well...I...You see..." She paused, looking up at Walt for a moment and then back at Henry. "Walt brought me beer, and ice cream, and breakfast, and I couldn't resist. It was all very convincing." She looked back at Walt. "Walt was very convincing." After a moment, she blinked and then dropped her gaze to the floor, clearing her throat. "He told me that the Absaroka County Sheriff's Department really needed me. That...everyone would miss me if I left. That I was—"

"Irreplaceable."

Vic's eyes flew up at Walt's words.

Henry's eyes darted over to Walt, an unspoken message in his look. Walt pressed his lips together and seemed to stand up straighter.

Henry turned to face Vic. "It looks like you no longer need a ride to Billings tomorrow."

"Oh, I'm still flying out of Billings on Sunday." At his questioning look she continued. "I'm going back to Philly for the week."

Henry paused, watching Walt out of the corner of his eye as he continued to face her. His eyes drifted back to Vic. "Do you still need a ride?"

Vic opened her mouth to respond but Walt cut her off.

"Actually, I was going to give her a ride." Without glancing at Vic he continued. "I think that will be easier for you, right? It will enable you to open the Red Pony yourself."

A slow grin broke on Henry's face, but before it became a full-on smile he schooled his features. He looked silently at his friend for a moment. "I think that is a good plan. Thank you for thinking of me."

Walt nodded.

Vic beamed at both of them, but tried not to be too obvious about it. "I don't know about you, but I need one of those coffees. Walt didn't know I was out, so he didn't bring any coffee with the items he brought, and I'm jonesing for some caffeine."

Taking the tray of coffees from Henry's hands, she beckoned them both to follow her to the kitchen.

She briefly glanced at their breakfast dishes spread across the counter, catching Walt's eye as he did the same. She gave him a shrug.

"Why don't you guys sit down at the table."

She placed the tray on the kitchen table before pulling out a cup and taking a sip. Returning to the counter as Henry and Walt sat down, she picked up the roll of paper towels and ripped off three sheets, and then made her way over to the boxes to unpack three plates.

Arriving at the table, she took a seat next to Walt, smiling as she handed him a paper towel and plate. "Here you go." After a moment, she pulled her gaze from Walt and placed a plate and paper towel in front of Henry.

Again Henry looked back and forth between them as he handed Walt a coffee and then opened the box to reveal his famous bear claw pastries.

"I see you two are back to talking and getting along."

A quick glance between them, and then two pairs of eyes were back on Henry as they responded in unison. "Yep."


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm off to Nashville tomorrow, for work, so I thought I would get this next chapter posted before I left.**

* * *

From her doorway, Vic watched Henry make his way toward his truck, and then stepped back and closed the front door. She turned to find Walt standing near the stairs, his hands on his hips.

"Do you think Henry suspects anything?"

Walt glanced toward the front window even though she knew he couldn't see Henry's truck from his position. "Yep."

"Does that...worry you?"

Walt's gaze returned to her as he sucked in his lower lip.

"Should I have answered any of his questions differently?"

Walt stepped forward until he was beside her, leaning against the closed door. "No."

He reached out his hand and tugged on the hem of her shirt. She took a step forward, smiling up at him.

Suddenly there was a knock on the front door, causing them both to jump slightly. Eyebrows raised, Vic stepped back, her hand on the door knob. Walt stepped back as well, and she swung the door open. They found Henry in the doorway.

Vic smiled. "Forget something—"

"It is Cady." He held out his phone to Walt. "She is looking for you."

Walt's eyebrows knotted as he reached out and took the phone.

"What's up, Punk?"

He took a few steps into the room, and then stood with his back to the door.

"Wait, start over. What happened?"

Vic turned to Henry with a questioning look. "What happened?" she whispered.

"I am not sure. She did not tell me anything. She just asked if I was with Walt, and then asked if she could talk to him."

Both Vic and Henry turned their attention back to Walt.

"Are you injured?"

He listened to her response, pacing across the room.

"Where are you?" He paused to listen. "Alright, I'm on my way. I'll be there as soon as I can."

He hung up the phone, but took a moment before looking up.

"I need to leave." He crossed the room and started pulling on his boots.

Vic stepped toward him. "What's going on?"

"Cady's been in a car accident." Vic froze, her eyes growing big. Her gut wrenching.

Walt pulled his other boot on and straightened. "They were rear-ended. Nobody's hurt, but it was a hit and run, so she wants me to come out."

A hit and run? The sinking feeling increased. "They? Was she with someone else in the car?"

"She said her friend was driving. But they're both ok." Vic got the impression his words of assurance were meant more for himself.

Henry took a step into the room, a concerned look on his face. "I will drive out there as well. You only have room for one passenger. Depending on how damaged the car is, they may need a ride."

Walt nodded, his eyes falling to the floor. After a moment he lifted his gaze, and looked at Vic, before reaching over to the end table and picking up his hat.

Even if Cady was ok, Vic knew this was not going to be easy for Walt. She stepped forward and shoved her feet into her boots. "I'm going to come with you."

Adjusting his hat, Walt shook his head. "You need to pack for your trip."

"I just have to pack a suitcase, which I can do when I get back." He didn't seem convinced. "Walt, come on. You might need my help figuring out who hit them. Plus, I'm sick of staring at these boxes." What she wanted to say was that she wanted him to let her be part of this. To be there, for him.

Walt briefly glanced out the open door, and then turned back toward her. "Ok."

"Let me grab a jacket." She ran up the stairs and over to her closet, pulling a jacket from its hanger. As she jammed her arms in the sleeves and walked back toward the stairs, she spotted Walt's shirt on her bed. She picked it up and tucked it under her arm, and then grabbed her cell phone, wallet and keys. She bounded down the steps, finding both Henry and Walt just outside the door, quietly conversing.

Vic pulled the front door shut and turned toward the driveway, pausing. Again she thought about the protective bubble they'd been in since Walt had arrived the previous evening. Henry had already created a tear in their bubble with his arrival earlier, but now they were breaking it wide open. She hoped they were ready.

Walt was seated in his truck when she reached the passenger side of the Bronco. She got in, buckled up, and looked over at him. His key was in the ignition, but he hadn't started up the engine. With both hands tightly gripping the steering wheel, he stared out the windshield.

Vic brought her hand to his right shoulder. "You ok, Walt?"

He shook his head, bringing his focus back inside the vehicle, and started up the truck. "Yep."

XX

Walt remained silent throughout the drive. She tried to smile at him reassuringly the few times he glanced her way, but didn't engage him in any further conversation after her first attempt had proven unsuccessful.

As they pulled to a stop, relief rushed through her when she saw Cady standing on the side of the road, seemingly unharmed. Walt seemed to register this fact as well, unclenching his white knuckles from the wheel.

Henry pulled in behind them, and stepped out of his truck. Vic looked over at Walt, and then quietly placed his shirt on his right thigh. His gaze dropped momentarily to his lap, before he picked up his shirt and put it on. Henry appeared at Walt's window, causing Walt to look up. With a brief glance back at Vic, Walt reached for the door handle. Vic copied Walt's move, and got out of the truck.

Cady looked up and smiled at their approach. She hugged her father, and smiled at Henry. When she landed on Vic, a look of confusion flashed across her face.

"Vic...I didn't expect you to...aren't you leaving this weekend?"

Vic hadn't really thought through her responses to the questions she knew she would start getting. "I'm..." She paused and glanced over at Walt, but he was looking at the SUV Cady was standing beside, and didn't seem like he was going to step in. "I was with Walt and Henry when you called, and wanted to help."

Cady paused for a moment as she briefly glanced at Walt, but then she shook her head and turned toward the man standing beside her.

"This is Luke. A...friend of mine. Luke, this is my dad." Walt brought his attention back to the group. Luke stepped forward and offered his hand. Walt momentarily paused, but then reached out and shook it. "This is my dad's friend, and my godfather, Henry." Luke again extended his hand. "And this is Vic, who works...worked with my dad." Vic shook the hand Luke offered her.

Cady turned towards the SUV. "Luke and I were on our way to lunch..."

Vic turned her attention to the SUV, and began to walk around it. The back corner of the driver side of the vehicle was crushed inwards. The damage was greater than she'd expected, so she was even more relieved that neither passenger had sustained injuries.

As she rounded the front end of the SUV she heard Cady, as she continued to relay what had happened. "They were heading toward us when their truck suddenly swerved into our lane. Luke managed to turn away from the vehicle but they clipped the back corner. We both had our seat belts on, and Luke was able to stop the car before we hit anything, so..."

Cady paused, her eyes settling on Walt. "We're ok."

Walt had his eyes on the SUV. "Did you see who hit you?"

"It was a red truck, but it happened so quickly that we didn't see who was driving, and they peeled off before we could get a look."

Walt lifted his gaze to Luke. "Do you remember anything more about the vehicle or the driver?"

Luke shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. I was too busy trying to avoid them, and then trying to stop, that I didn't see much."

Vic looked up from the SUV. "Well we know they left the scene, which means they are either assholes, or scared shitless." She looked back at the damaged corner. "Or injured and not thinking clearly."

Vic pulled out her cell phone and began taking close-up pictures of the damaged section of the SUV, and then took a few pictures of the entire vehicle from multiple angles, as well as the surrounding area.

She looked over at the group. "Did it look like they lost control of the vehicle when they swerved?"

Cady and Luke glanced at each other before Cady turned back toward Vic. "I couldn't say. I didn't really notice them on the road until the last moment."

"Me either."

Vic saw Luke rub his hand along his chest, and wince slightly.

"I think we should get you guys checked out at the hospital...to play it safe."

"That's not necessary—"

Walt cut Cady off. "Yes it is."

Henry stepped forward. "I'll drive the two of you, and Walt and Vic can meet us there."

Vic looked back at the SUV. "Ferg's on duty today. I'll get him out here."

XX

Vic stood in the doorway, feeling like the room was already crowded with Henry standing in the corner and Walt hovering while Dr. Weston checked Cady out. Cady had been reassuring all of them, repeatedly, that she felt fine, and wasn't hurt.

She looked at Walt's stooped shoulders, and the worry he couldn't mask in his eyes. On the drive over to the hospital she had become frustrated with his continued silence and had tried to get him to share what he was thinking about. He had retreated further and she'd gotten a little pissed, and now here they were on opposite sides of the room.

Dr. Weston stepped back. "Seems like you have the same great luck with narrow misses as your father." He was referring to Walt's last visit to the emergency room, when his arm had been grazed by a bullet, and numerous other near misses in the line of duty. What he wasn't bringing up, of course, was Cady's last trip to the hospital. Both she and Walt could have used a narrow miss that time.

Cady looked over at Vic. "Hey Vic, can you go check on Luke? I'm hogging everyone's attention."

With a quick glance at Walt, Vic looked back at Cady and nodded. "Sure."

Luke looked up as she walked in, and she offered him a smile. "How are you doing?"

"Not too bad, considering. I've got some bruising on my chest from the seat belt, but my SUV is definitely in worse shape than I am." He paused. "How's Cady?"

"She's fine. She's been asking how you are, and sent me to check in on you."

The corners of his mouth rose, and he momentarily stared at the door as if he was considering going down the hallway in search of her.

"How long have the two of you been dating?"

Luke flinched slightly at Vic's question, but then looked over at her with a neutral expression.

"We're just friends—"

She gave him one of her patented incredulous Vic expressions and he stopped, looking down at his hands.

"We met almost a month ago when she interviewed at my firm. I ran into her at the Red Pony a couple nights later when she was out with friends."

"She'll be starting with your law firm on Monday?"

He nodded. "I know she hasn't told her father about the two of us yet..." He raised his head. "She says her dad learned some difficult truths about her mom's death recently, and she wants to hold off on telling him. Until he's ready."

Vic wondered if Walt would ever really be ready to hear that kind of news. There probably would be no man good enough for Cady, in his eyes.

"Is there anyone you can think of who may be angry with you, or with the fact that you and Cady are dating? Enough to try to run you off the road?"

"You think this may have been intentional?"

"I'm not sure, but we can't rule anything out."

"I can't think of anyone who's holding a grudge against me, or jealous enough to do this. And no one really knows about Cady and me."

Vic held his eyes, trying to determine if he might be holding something back. "Well, if you think of anything...or anyone, let us know."

He nodded.

Dr. Weston appeared in the doorway.

Vic greeted him with a grin. "Hey Doc."

"Deputy Moretti."

She briefly wondered whether he knew about her plans to leave Durant. She hadn't told him, but she didn't know if Walt or Ferg had mentioned it when they were at the hospital on Thursday, following up on their case. If he did know, he didn't acknowledge it.

Vic took a final look at Luke, before stepping aside to let the doctor enter. "I'll let the Doc here check you out."

Luke smiled at her. "Ok. I'll come down as soon as I get cleared."

Vic gave a small wave with her hand, and headed back into the hall. As she approached Cady's room, she saw Henry and Cady conversing, but Walt no longer appeared to be with them.

She continued past the room, arriving in the reception area, but did not see him. She was about to ask someone at the desk if anyone had noticed where he'd gone, when she spotted a familiar hat through the glass of the hospital's front entrance.

She walked up to the entrance, but paused just inside, watching Walt through the door. Being outside the bubble was really testing them. Walt had opened up to her last night. But here he was, back to holding things in and taking on his burdens alone.

When the automatic door slid open, Walt did not turn. She walked to his side, finding him staring off into the distance.

"Hey."

Walt seemed startled by her voice, as if he hadn't realized she was standing next to him.

"She's ok, Walt. So is Luke."

Without turning toward her, Walt dropped his head. "I know."

He shifted his stance, and adjusted his hands on his hips, but still did not look up. "You'd think it would get easier, being here, given what we do. What we've seen."

"This is different. This is someone you care about, Walt. It will never get easier."

He kicked the pavement with his boot.

Vic thought about placing her hand on his arm, but a couple was walking past them and she decided against it. Once the couple had entered the building and the door closed behind them she continued. "This is not like the last time, with Cady. Yes, it's a car accident, and a hit-and-run, but that's the only similarity. She's not hurt. She wasn't alone when it happened." She paused. "They're both going to be fine, Walt."

Walt looked up, but not directly at her. "If...if I hadn't cancelled my breakfast with Cady this morning, this would never have happened."

Her heart seemed to clench. "Walt, you're not to blame. A number of decisions and actions led to Cady being on the road at that location and at that time, not just you canceling breakfast. And even if you hadn't cancelled your breakfast with her, she might still have had lunch plans with Luke. And this still may have happened."

She pictured him sitting in Cady's hospital room after the accident, on the day of the election. She remembered his pain and his guilt, and her hesitation to reach out and comfort him. But in the end she had placed her hand on his back. Today, his look bore the same pain and guilt, but here, out in the open, she held back from touching him, although she desperately wanted to.

"Hospitals are often shitty places to be, Walt. They can send us spiraling. Make us feel guilty. And helpless. You've experienced some tough moments in hospitals with those you love. With Cady. And with Martha. You should not feel guilty. Everyone's ok. And just like before, this was not your fault."

Walt lifted his eyes to hers. "And with you."

"With me?"

"I've had to endure seeing you in here as well."

She looked over at Walt, who was back to looking at his boots. She wanted to go back to the humor, and the lightness, and the connection they had had between them just a few hours ago. She wondered if she could bring that easy smile back to his lips.

"I don't know. I think you may have enjoyed the time I was shot with the tranquilizer. I'm pretty sure you got a rear view of me in my hospital gown, and those things open in the back."

The corners of Walt's mouth slowly lifted. "Yes they do."

Vic smiled back at him. The Walt from earlier that morning was still in there.

"Those times were tough, Walt, but we both made it through."

Walt nodded, his eyes still downcast.

Not letting herself talk herself out of it, Vic reached out, wrapping her fingers lightly around his. Walt looked up, locking eyes with her.

"I'm sorry I got a little pissed with you earlier."

"I'm sorry, Vic. I...I know I've been in my head these last few hours. I want to let you in—"

With a whoosh, the automatic door behind her slid open and Cady's laughter peeled out. Walt dropped his hand and eyes at the same time. Vic took a step back, turning towards the open door, and the three exiting the building.

"There you two are!" Cady was in good spirits, and Walt put on a smile. Henry looked between Walt and Vic but said nothing.

"We've been released, and we're starving! We're going to have lunch at the Pony? You two in?"

XX

Walt brought the Bronco to a stop and cut the ignition, but did not exit the vehicle.

"I'm trying, Vic. But it's not so easy to change what I've spent years doing. Being in my head. Dealing with things alone. But I want to let you in..."

"I know you're trying, Walt. I know firsthand how difficult it can be to change your ways."

He looked over at her. "I've seen the damage I cause when I hold things back. That's not how I want to be with you."

"And I know I'm reactive. And I don't want to be that way with you."

She held his eyes with hers. "It'll take time, but we'll get there."

He nodded, glancing out the windshield.

"Are you ok with us doing lunch with Cady and Luke? There's a very good chance that Cady's curiosity is going to get the better of her, and she's bound to ask you questions about your...plans for the future. I could drive you home if you're not ready to talk about them yet."

"I'm going to have to start answering questions at some point. May as well get started."

Walt looked back at her. "I could pull her aside when we get in there. Let her know how your plans have changed, and ask her not to interrogate you about it."

"That's ok. I can handle it."

Her eyes still on Walt's, she wrapped her fingers around the handle of the door. "Come on. Let's go in. Otherwise they might start making some correct assumptions about the two of us."

Walt grinned, his eyes closing for an extra-long moment, and then he opened his door and stepped out.

He waited for her to join his side before heading toward the front door of the Pony. Again Vic wanted to reach out and touch his arm, but she kept her hand at her side.

Entering the bar, they pushed through the swinging doors, and then searched the room for Cady and Luke. As they approached the table where the two were seated, Vic saw Walt bring his hand down to pull out her chair, but she flashed him a 'what the hell' warning look, and he stopped. As his deputy, he never pulled out her chair, and this unusual gesture might be noticed by Cady.

As Vic took her seat, Walt stayed standing, looking down at them. "What do you three want to drink?"

"Beer."

"Me too."

"Same here."

Walt's eyes darted to Vic and then Cady, before landing on Luke. "Luke, do you want to give me a hand?"

Vic started, surprised by Walt's request. Apparently Luke was too. She watched him hesitate before pushing his chair back and standing. "Sure."

Watching the two men make their way to the bar, Vic felt a little panic settle in. She knew she had told Walt she could handle Cady's questions, but that didn't mean she wanted him leaving her alone, to be drilled by her.

With a final glance at the bar, where Walt, Luke and Henry were talking, Vic returned her attention to the table. She found Cady's eyes on her.

"How's my dad doing?"

"Uh—"

"I know this must be hard for him, having me be in another car accident, given how bad the previous one was."

Vic's eyes found Walt again. "Yeah, he's definitely been thinking back to that day." She looked back at Cady. "He felt a lot of responsibility for what happened to you back then. He does with this one as well."

"Did he say anything? During your car rides or when the two of you were talking outside the hospital?"

"Not much. You know Walt, and how he tends to keep things in. But he did say how hard it was being at the hospital with you again, and he blames himself for your accident because he cancelled your breakfast."

This time, Cady looked over at Walt. "None of this was my dad's fault. Or anyone's fault." Her eyes shifted to Luke. "Luke thinks he is to blame because he kept rushing us to get out the door, and he thinks if we had left five minutes later, none of this would have happened."

Vic watched Luke as he laughed at something Henry said.

"Thanks Vic."

Vic turned back toward Cady, her forehead creased in confusion. "For what?"

"For being there for my dad today. I know you probably have a lot you could be doing before you leave, so thanks for taking the time to come with us."

Cady looked from Vic to Walt and then back to Vic again.

"And I hope things aren't strained between the two of you anymore. There seemed to be some tension on Thursday night."

Vic tried to laugh it off. "You know Walt. He's not a big fan of change. My departure meant he was going to have to hire someone new, and break them in. I don't think he was too happy about that."

Cady watched her from across the table, but said nothing for a moment.

"My dad might not admit it, but I think he's really going to miss you, Vic. Probably why he's been such a grouch lately."

Looking across the table at Cady, Vic suddenly realized that Walt knew exactly what he was doing when he left her alone with his daughter. She was going to get Cady's questions out of the way, so she didn't have to stress about the potential of them being asked throughout their meal. And with Walt and Luke gone, she would get to answer them without an audience.

"Cady...I'm...I'm no longer going to be leaving Durant."

Cady's looked at her quizzically. "You and Sean aren't going to Australia anymore?"

"Uh...Sean's going, but I'm staying. We're...we're splitting up."

Cady's mouth opened slightly but no words came out.

"Sean and I have been having problems for a while, but we kept thinking we could fix what wasn't working between us. We finally realized we couldn't. And I...I decided last night to stay."

"I take it my dad knows."

"Yep. And Henry. And now you."

"Wow, Vic, I'm sorry."

"Thanks."

"How are you doing?"

"I'm...ok. Walt assures me I still have my job, but everything else seems so...up in the air. It's a little scary...and very overwhelming."

"Well, I know you were there for my dad, when he was lost the year after my mom died. He'll be here for you, when you need it."

Vic looked over at the bar and found Walt's eyes on her.

"And maybe it will be overwhelming for a while, but you'll find your footing eventually...and see it as a chance for new possibilities."

Vic smiled as she looked back at Cady. "Thanks."

Cady smiled and then looked back at the bar. "Hey Dad. Where are those beers you promised us?"

Walt and Luke laughed, wrapped up their conversation with Henry and returned to the table. Walt handed Vic a beer and then took his seat. Luke did the same with Cady.

Bringing the bottle to her lips, Vic looked around the table.

Cady lifted her beer in the air. "To narrow misses and new possibilities."

Vic smiled as she raised her beer, and then felt Walt's hand slip into hers under the table. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, but his focus remained on Cady and Luke, who had started talking about Cady's upcoming first day of work. After a moment, he squeezed her fingers, but to Vic's surprise, didn't remove his hand, even when Henry stepped up to the table to take their order.

XX

Walt pulled the Bronco into her driveway and brought it to a stop. They both sat silently, staring out the windshield.

After a few moments had passed, Walt turned in his seat. "I'm going to go back to the station, so I can be there while Cady and Luke give their formal statements. And I'll see if Ferg was able to learn anything new or make any progress tracing down that red truck."

"Ok. I'm going to pack for my trip."

He nodded. "Do...do you have plans tonight?"

"Yep. I called up Omar and invited him over to thank him for convincing me to stay."

Walt smiled as he bowed his head, shaking it.

She grinned back at him.

"After I'm through at the station, I'll go home, clean up a bit, and then maybe I could come back this evening with dinner."

"Three meals with you in one day." His head lifted, his eyes showing his concern that maybe she thought it was too much. She smiled at him. "I like it!"

He grinned. "Ok. Good."

"Ok. Great!"

He laughed.

At that, she opened her door and stepped out. She came around to his side of the truck and leaned in the window.

"I'll see you in a few hours. I may even start to read one of those books you seem to think are essential, and need to be unpacked."

Walt grinned. "Any particular book catch your eye?"

"Yep. _Great Expectations_. Seemed a rather fitting title for tonight."

Walt arched an eyebrow. "I don't think that book is about what you think it's about."

She slapped his arm. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Longmire. I know what the book is about. And my 'great expectations' are in regards to what you're picking up for dinner."

She leaned in further and gave him a quick kiss, and then pulled back giving him a wink.

"And don't think I don't remember you have my t-shirt. I'm expecting you to hand that over when you come back tonight, or I'm hunting you down."

Walt laughed. "I don't know. I might need to hold it hostage to ensure you come back from Philadelphia."

Vic laughed as she stepped back and headed for her front door. "Don't even think of using that shirt as a bargaining chip, Walt, or you may never get to see _your_ 'great expectations' fulfilled."


	10. Chapter 10

Initially Vic's legs had fought back. Her feet had thrown a fit. Her lungs had screamed at her as they burned. She'd sworn viciously both during and after. And she'd woken up sore, and convinced that she wouldn't be able to do it again. But then she'd gone back out there and kept going. Kept pushing through, trying to last a little bit longer each time. Trying to a go a little bit further.

For the past couple years, Vic had forced herself to tie up her laces and go for a run almost every day. She'd come back from those first runs cursing at how much they sucked and considering giving up. But as the weeks passed, and her muscles warmed, and her stamina built, she'd eventually reached the point where the awesome outweighed the suck. Where she looked forward to her daily run.

Recently, as her stress levels and feelings of isolation had grown, her evening run had been the only thing she'd looked forward to each day. With her favorite music in her ears, she'd find her pace. She'd focus on what was immediately in front of her. Not what she'd left behind. Not what was waiting for her when she got back. When she was in her groove, she didn't think of all the shit going on in her life.

Focused on her breathing, on her rhythm, sometimes she could achieve a runner's high.

That euphoric awesome.

When she'd came back from those jogs, her endorphin level still high, she'd remember the sweat steaming off her skin, the fresh air pumping through her lungs, the feeling of unpaved paths beneath her feet and the sheer awe of the natural beauty around her. And for a little while, her problems faded to the background.

Over the past weeks, as Walt ignored her, and Sean pissed her off, and her options seemed limited, running had gotten her through it.

This afternoon, after Walt had dropped her off, she'd finished packing for her trip to Philly. When that was done, she'd unpacked a few essential items in the kitchen, and then she'd sat down on the couch with a book. But she hadn't been able to concentrate, as her thoughts kept drifting back to the yo-yo nature of her day. Waking up in bed with Walt, and enjoying their morning banter. Witnessing him retreat as he got wrapped up in his head after Cady's accident. And then experiencing him re-engaging, as he held her hand beneath the table at the Pony, and as she flirted with him through the open window of his truck as they chatted in her driveway. She'd decided to go for a run.

As she'd stretched in the front yard she'd thought about the past weeks. About Walt avoiding her. About them both not opening up to each other. About how closed off he'd been and how reactively she'd responded. That had basically happened again today. Miscommunication. Holding back. Getting pissed. Would they ever be any different with each other?

But now, out on her run, the questions, and the confusion, and the uncertainty faded away. As her feet flew beneath her she felt strong. She felt confident.

When she arrived back at her street, she slowed to a walk. She felt the dampness of her tank top against her skin, and the still warm rays of the sun filtering through the branches above. As she neared her house she saw Walt's truck sitting in her driveway. She stopped and watched as he stepped out of the vehicle.

Flashes from her day started trickling in, and she remembered the doubts going through her head as she'd stretched on the lawn. But she still felt strong from her run, and she focused her attention on the man in front of her.

Walt was unaware that she was watching him. He was holding a bag that likely held their dinner, and stood with his door still open, looking into the truck. She wondered if he'd forgotten something, and was contemplating going back for it. After a moment, he lifted his head, staring up at the house.

She took in his profile. His posture. His alertness. Even from this distance she felt an attraction to him. To everything about him.

She started to walk toward him, and when her feet hit the gravel of her driveway, Walt turned at the sound. His eyes followed her as she approached, and when she smiled, he smiled in return.

She pulled to a stop just in front of him, and looked up, his hat casting a shadow on her face. She noticed the smoothness of his freshly-shaven face and she had an immediate desire to reach up and touch his cheek. Instead, she ran a hand along the neckline of her tank top, bringing it to rest on her shoulder.

"Hey."

With a hand still on the open driver-side door, his eyes slid up her body appreciatively. "Hey."

She grew self-conscious under his gaze and dropped her hand to her side.

"I'm all sweaty..."

He smiled again. "I know."

She blushed. "I'm going to go take a shower."

His lips parted, and for a moment she thought he was going to offer to join her. His eyes darted briefly to the interior of his truck and then back to her face. He paused another moment and then shut the door. "Ok. I'll keep myself occupied."

She turned, and started walking toward the house. After a moment she realized he wasn't following her. She paused, glancing over her shoulder and caught him openly staring. Laughter bubbled up, and she turned back toward the front door. "Are you appreciating the shortness of my shorts?"

She heard the crunch of his boots on the gravel behind her. "Yep."

XX

Dressed in a fresh pair of jeans and t-shirt, her hair still wet and loose at her shoulders, Vic walked down her stairs into the front room. She found Walt sitting at the far end of the couch, an open book in his hand. She laughed as she noted the title.

"I didn't think I actually owned _Great Expectations_ when I mentioned it earlier."

"I brought over my copy."

She smiled. "Of course you did."

He looked up as she sat down on the couch and pulled her legs beneath her, his eyes intently watching her movement.

"What did you pick up for dinner?"

"Not sure."

"You don't know what it is?"

"Nope."

"You just let Henry make whatever he wanted?"

"Yep. He said he wanted to make you something special for your last meal."

"Technically it's not my last meal. Unless Henry is barring me from the Pony or from retuning to Durant. Is he jealous? Does he want his friend Walt all to himself?"

The corners of Walt's mouth turned upwards. "I think Henry's ok with sharing."

With his head turned toward her, and the sunlight from the window behind him lighting the side of his face, Walt's eyes seemed bluer than usual. Lost in those eyes of his, again all Vic could think about was how much she wanted to reach out and touch him. Without a word she stretched her legs out, tucking her toes under his left thigh.

He looked at her feet for a moment, and then back up at her, bringing his hand down to rest on her right ankle.

Vic took in Walt's presence on her couch, and the warmth of his touch on her foot.

Walt shifted his position, bringing Vic's attention back to him. He raised an eyebrow at her in curiosity, and squeezed the foot he was holding. "What's up?"

Vic laughed. "I...I'm just thinking about things I've imagined but never really believed would happen. Like hanging out with you on my couch."

"You've imagined hanging out with me on your couch?"

Vic blinked, and then nodded. "Just never really thought you'd be here. But here you are. It's surreal. It's...nice."

With Walt's warm gaze still on her, she leaned the side of her head on the back of the couch. Again she noted the vivid blue of his eyes, and she found how he was looking at her intoxicating. He leaned further back, keeping eye contact as his fingers stroked her ankle and then slid slowly up her calf.

She nudged his leg with her left foot. "You're going to have to stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

Her right hand landed on the book she'd attempted to read earlier wedged in between the cushions, and she pulled it out, running her fingers up and down its spine as she looked back at him. "Like you're fantasizing about doing more than just hanging out with me on this couch."

He blinked. "Or what?"

Her eyes grew big. "Or what?"

"I need to stop looking at you like I'm fantasizing about you, or what?"

"Or..." She paused, barely able to put cohesive thoughts together under his unwavering gaze, and then let the book she was holding slide to the floor. She straightened up, and edged closer to his side of the couch. When he didn't flinch at her approach, she swung her left leg over his lap, straddling him. She took the book he still clutched and dropped it to the floor, placing a hand on his chest.

His eyes fell to her lips for a moment and then returned to connect with hers.

"They found the truck." His voice sounded a little thick.

That's not what she expected him to say and her brow creased in confusion. "What?"

He placed a hand on her left hip, his fingers toying with one of her belt loops. She hadn't put her belt on after her shower. "I tried to call you, but you must have been out on your run. They found the red truck that hit Luke's SUV."

"Oh." Vic attempted to mentally shift to this new topic of discussion. "Where did they find it?"

His right hand joined his left at her hips. His fingertips skimmed her side underneath her shirt. "Ferg had called in the description of the truck around the area, and one of the patrol deputies up in Sheridan County noticed a red truck with a damaged front light and hood parked outside a bar on Main Street. Turns out the young man who owns that truck and his friend were sitting at the bar, drunk, and in an escalating argument with each other."

Vic blinked, taking in the news, and acutely aware of the progress his hand was making up her side. "Did they admit to the hit and run?"

"I'm not sure. But apparently there were several witnesses at the bar saying they were arguing about something they'd done, and one of them wanting to come forward."

Vic nodded as she ran her fingers over his chest, her eyes landing on the hairs peeking out near the top button of his shirt. She noted, with a small smile, he still had her brother's t-shirt on. "So do they have them in a holding cell up in Sheridan or did they bring them back to Durant?"

"They're holding them overnight while they sober up."

They held eye contact as Vic brought her other hand to his chest. As she slowly slid her hands up his shirt she heard his sharp intake of breath. She moved in closer, and felt Walt's hands curl at the back of her jeans, as hers slid around his neck.

She leaned in, her lips hovering in front of his, and his eyes drifted closed. "I bet you're relieved," she whispered, her own eyes closing.

She felt his smile as his lips tentatively brushed hers. "Yep," he whispered in response.

His lips made more solid contact, and she felt his hands slide to her lower back as he pulled her to him.

She grinned as his hand slid below the hem of her shirt again, and she felt his fingers warm on her skin. "I like it when you're relieved. You get a little horny."

He responded by turning them both to the side, and lowering her down onto the couch cushions.

She smiled up at him as he neared. "Cady and Luke must be _relieved_ as well."

Walt stilled. Realizing what she had eluded to, Vic inwardly cringed. She tried to cover it up by pushing herself up and capturing his mouth with hers. He responded for a moment, and then pulled back.

"What do you mean, Cady and Luke must be _relieved_?"

Shit. "Uh...I mean they must be relieved they caught the guys responsible. For...closure on the case...and for insurance reasons. And..."

"And?"

She gulped. "And nothing."

Walt looked down at her. Wanting to distract him again, she grabbed a fistful of his shirt and pulled him toward her. His lips moved briefly over hers, and then he pulled back once more.

"Are Cady and Luke dating?"

She stared silently back up at him.

His eyes drifted to the side. "They're dating." This time it wasn't a question. He followed it with an exhale of breath, and then brought his eyes back to hers. "How do you know? Did Cady talk to you about it?"

"No. I guessed."

Resting on his elbows, Walt continued to look down at her. She moved a hand up his chest, landing at his open collar. Sliding her fingers to the back of his neck, she gave a tug to lower him down. He complied, placing his lips against hers as he sank into her. She slid her tongue along his lower lip, and he opened up to her. As she felt the weight of his hips on hers, she hooked her left leg around his side and pulled him closer. She brought her hand across his shoulders, and he slid both hands along her sides, her shirt edging up.

And then he pulled back.

"Cady didn't mention it at lunch, when you two were talking while Luke and I were at the bar getting the beers?"

Exasperated, Vic dropped her head back, closing her eyes. "Shit, Walt. You can't be thinking about your daughter's love life while you're making out with me."

With an exhale, Walt dropped to his back, beside her on the couch, staring up at the ceiling.

He brought his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Why didn't she say anything to me about them dating?"

Vic looked at his profile for a moment. "She probably gets that 'not sharing' trait from her father."

Dropping his hand back to his side, Walt rolled his head toward her.

"Their relationship is new. They probably haven't told anyone." Vic shifted to her side. "Plus, you don't really have a good track record of sharing your relationships with her."

He blinked. "She absolutely knew about my relationship with Martha."

Vic snorted at Walt's straight-faced delivery. "Well I sure hope so."

Walt grinned as he shifted back to looking at the ceiling.

"What about Lizzie?"

"I...I never really thought there was anything to share about Lizzie."

"But apparently Lizzie didn't feel the same way, which is how Cady found out you hadn't been open with her about your relationship."

Walt stared in front of him for a moment and then looked back at her, placing his hand on her arm. "The reason I haven't told Cady about you and me isn't because I think there isn't anything to share. Up until our lunch this afternoon, Cady still thought you and Sean were together. So...it's too soon to talk to her about us. She needs to get used to the idea of you being single for a while."

Vic held his eyes. "I agree. But at some point you are going to need to tell her, so that she doesn't find out accidentally, or from someone else. You're going to need to be open with her."

"Well, we did all just have a double date, so I'm already starting to be open with her."

Again, Vic snorted. "Neither of you thought of it as a double date at the time. I don't quite think Cady would see the four of us eating together as you being more open with her."

"I could have turned lunch down. I probably would have found an excuse for us not to eat together if it were Lizzie."

Vic held his eyes, taking in Walt's admission. Walt reached over and tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear, and she smiled at him.

Vic lowered herself back to her position lying beside him. "You both hold things back in an attempt to protect each other, assuming the other can't handle the burden of knowing the truth. You're both stronger than you think you are. I think Cady, and your relationship with her, will be ok when you tell her about us, regardless of how she feels about us being together."

"She didn't tell me about Branch. I...I'm not sure she would have if I hadn't found out about it and confronted her."

"Those were a different set of circumstances. There was tension between you and Branch because of the election. And you were his boss."

"And when I found out, I did not take it well." He paused. "That's likely another reason she hasn't told me about Luke."

"Give her a little more time. Maybe bring Luke into your next conversation in a low-key way, not in confrontation. Be subtly encouraging about him. And in a little while, she might open up."

He still seemed concerned.

"And in time, if she hasn't told you about their relationship, you can set the example, and tell her about ours."

Staring up at the ceiling, he took in Vic's words. "Ok."

They lay side by side on the couch in silence for a few minutes.

Finally, Vic poked him in the shoulder. "I think we should eat the dinner surprise Henry made for us. Give you something to think about other than who Cady's dating, and when's she going to tell you. And then we can get you back to being relieved again."

She sat up, and then stood, making her way to the kitchen. "And by relieved, I mean horny of course."

When Walt chuckled she smiled and added some extra sway to her hips.

XX

Vic lifted her head as Walt's shadow fell across her. She shielded her eyes from the setting sun as she looked up at him from her position lying on a lawn chair in her back yard.

"All done?"

Walt threw the dish towel over his shoulder. "Yep. Dishes cleaned and dried. You'll have to put them away, since I don't know where most of it goes."

'With all those empty shelves and cabinets, it must be confusing where I keep anything."

Walt nodded as he turned and scanned her back yard. "It's nice back here."

Vic followed his line of sight. "It's my favorite spot at this house. Lying in this chair and taking in the view. Maybe not as nice and expansive as the view from your front porch, but still pretty awesome. And a hell of a lot better than most backyards in Philadelphia."

"Do you get to sit out here a lot?"

"As often as I can. I bundle up if I need to. I...I just find that it's very calming, sitting out here. Running allows me to clear my head, and then sitting out here allows me to relax."

"We're you going to take these chairs with you to Philadelphia?"

Vic shielded her eyes again and looked up at him.

"No. My brother doesn't really have the space. Or the view."

"Will you take them with you to the new place you move into?"

Vic dropped her gaze. "Probably not. I'll likely get a place closer to town, and can't imagine I'll get the same type of view. May just leave them for the new owners."

Walt shifted his stance, and brought a hand to the back of his neck. "You...you could bring them over to my place. And use them whenever you come over."

Vic's head snapped up. "Really?"

Walt smoothed down the hair at the back of his head. "Yep. If you want."

He was rewarded with a brilliant smile. "Thanks."

She continued to look up at him for a moment and then patted the empty chair beside her.

The corners of Walt's mouth turned up, and he walked around the chair Vic was lying in and lowered himself on to the chair next to her, spreading out his legs.

The two fell silent as they looked out at the view before them. After a few minutes Vic closed her eyes.

After a moment she heard Walt shift his position in his chair. "Did Sean sit out here with you?"

Vic kept her eyes closed. "I think he sat out here a few times when we first bought the chairs a couple of years ago, but not really since. It was really my place."

Opening her eyes, she turned to look at him. "It's a little strange having you beside me."

Walt shifted in his seat again. "You ok having me invade your favorite spot?"

"Oh yeah, it's not that. It's...like I said earlier, there are things I imagined doing with you that I never believed would actually happen. There have been times I've sat out here, and I'd open my eyes half-expecting you to be lying in that chair. I convinced myself it was because we spent so much time in the Bronco, in these same positions. You on the left and me on the right. But...deep down I knew it was more than that. I just dismissed it as a fantasy that would never happen."

He nodded. "I do that sometimes. Turn to talk to you when I am by myself. And every time I'm surprised that you aren't actually with me...and then wish that you were."

He dropped his eyes, and the two both fell silent again.

"I didn't realize you kept up with your running. I remember when you seemed to hate it."

Vic laughed. "Oh my god I hated it when I first started. It sucked ass." She looked over at him. "I can't believe you remember that. I began running right after I started with the department."

"Hard to forget. You were not shy about sharing how much you disliked it."

She grinned. "I guess I was pretty open with my complaining. But holy shit did it suck when I first started up."

"When you stopped complaining, I figured you just gave up. What made you stick with it?"

She looked out into the distance. "I started running because I was pretty bored when I first moved out here. I didn't really know anyone. You weren't the best company at the time. And Sean was out of town a lot."

She saw him turn toward her out of the corner of her eye.

"And when things were stressful, at work, or just in general, running was a good way to get out of my head."

She looked back over at him. "Plus I have to keep running to keep up with you. When I saw you scale down that cliff to rescue that camper...let's just say I was impressed. And I can personally attest that your right hook sure packs a punch. I may need to add some strength-training into my routine."

"Your right hook is nothing to complain about. I could call Agent Towson. I'm sure he'd back me up."

She grinned.

His eyes sobered. "I imagine you did a lot of running these past six weeks."

She took a deep breath. "Yep. My running, writing in my notebook, and this spot right here got me through it."

Walt dropped his gaze.

"Is that why you went for a run this afternoon? Because of how I...responded...after Cady's car accident?"

She paused. "Yeah. I...I needed to get out of my head."

"I'm sorry. For how I was earlier. For not letting you in."

"You were doing well last night. Letting me in."

"And then I just fell back in to my old patterns. Retreating. Going it alone. When...when I feel I might lose any of the things that are most important to me I don't always think clearly."

Vic reached out her hand and placed it on his forearm.

He lifted his head. "Do you think I can change? I've been closed off for so long, sometimes I fear I can't."

Vic held his gaze. "I'll admit there are moments when I wonder if either of us can change...or change enough."

She saw the look of worry in his eyes.

"But I know we both want to change. So despite my moments of doubt, I'm hopeful we can. In fact, I'm betting on it...since I've decided to stay."

She watched Walt as he stared out before him, and then stood and stepped over to his chair. "Scoot over."

Walt looked up and then shifted his position, allowing Vic to lay down next to him. She leaned into his side, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

After a moment he leaned in, his lips near her left ear. "I'm betting on us too."

They lay together, their eyes closed as the sun sank lower in the sky.

She turned her head upwards, her voice soft and low. "This might become another favorite spot of mine."

XX

Vic turned the kitchen light off, and followed Walt to the front door. He walked over to the end table and picked up his hat. She turned the light on in the entryway so they could see better.

He turned to face her, and she watched him place the hat on his head. God, she wanted to reach out and touch him again. She moved to the first step of the stairs to put a little more distance between them.

"I'll pick you up at 6:30 tomorrow morning to head up to Billings?"

She watched him for a moment before answering. "Sounds good."

He paused. A moment of silence stretched out, and then he turned to put on his boots.

Before he put his foot in the first boot, Vic shifted her stance and gave in to her desire to keep him there. "You know, if you stay here tonight, you'll get more sleep. You won't have to commute to and from your place. We could just roll out of bed a little before 6:30 and then head to the airport."

The corners of his mouth lifting, he straightened. "I don't think I'll get _more_ sleep if I stay here."

She smiled her mischievous smile. "Well maybe not _more_ sleep, but _better_ sleep. If you go home, and we each sleep in our separate beds, we'll both be tossing and turning all night, wishing you'd stayed. At least I know I will."

He looked briefly to the side and then back at her, still rooted to his spot near the door.

Both of her eyebrows slanted upwards. "Plus, if you stay, we'll get to spend extra time together before I have to leave for a week."

When he remained silent, the glint in her eyes returned and she dropped her gaze to his chest. "I see that you're still wearing my brother's t-shirt under your button-down, and I told you I would hunt you down if I didn't get it back. So one way or another I'm getting you to disrobe. You'll just be making it easier on yourself if you choose to stay on your own."

He blinked a few times, silently staring back at her, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"And who's going to share the rest of the ice cream with me when I'm inevitably hungry in a little while? Without you here, I will probably eat the rest of it myself, and feel ill tomorrow. And you, my friend, will pay the price, having to be the recipient of my irritable mood during our drive."

Walt suddenly stepped forward, and the air rushed out of Vic's lungs. Standing on the first step, her height equal to his, she found herself looking directly into his eyes. She paused, and then tentatively reached out and removed his hat from his head and hung it on the post at the end of the railing. Still facing him, she moved a step higher and he did the same.

"Was it the promise of ice cream that convinced you? Or the threat of irritable Vic in the morning—"

Walt leaned forward and covered her mouth with his. She smiled into his lips, and he did the same, before placing his hands on her hips and deepening their kiss.

When he pulled back, but stayed close, she reached down and took his hand in hers. Turning, she began to make her way up the stairs, with Walt just behind her.

When they both reached the top of the stairs she paused. With the light still on in the entryway behind them, she was able to make out the bed in the dark room. When she turned to her left, she saw that Walt was looking at the bed as well.

Tugging on his hand, she started across the room. At the bed's edge, she stopped and turned toward him.

The right side of his face was lit from the light from the stairs, and his eyes gleamed as they watched her unzip her jeans. She bent over to pull them off, and when she lifted her eyes, she found his gaze still focused intently on her. When he didn't make a move, she reached out and started working on his buckle. Once it was loosened, he lowered his zipper, and stepped out of his jeans.

Placing her hands at the bottom of her shirt, she pulled it off, and then stepped forward and began working on his buttons. His eyes didn't leave her face the whole time. She detected a change in his breathing, confirming they were equally affected by how things were progressing.

When she finally removed his button-down shirt from his shoulders, he raised the t-shirt over his head. Presented with a full view of his chest, she almost forgot to grab the t-shirt before he dropped it to the floor.

"I'll take that." She placed the t-shirt on the bed end table and returned her focus to him, grinning. "For safe keeping."

Walt took a step toward her, bringing his hands up to her back to unhook her bra. When it dropped to the floor he paused, and then leaned in, his lips coming up to her left ear. "Want to work on the better sleep first, or the ice cream?"

She let out a laugh, but was silenced when his lips found hers. She guided them to the bed as she stepped backwards, pausing when the back of her legs made contact with the edge. Looking up at him, Vic lowered herself down on the mattress, scooting backwards, and then tugging on the waistband of his boxers to encourage him to follow.

Walt followed her on to the bed, moving over her body until his chest was even with hers. He lowered his head so their lips were just touching. She could feel their warmth as they lingered for a moment. His lips slowly began to travel over hers, and she parted her lips and traced his mouth with her tongue. His tongue dove in, and he began a gentle exploration of her mouth as his hands wove into her hair.

When her hand dipped below his waistband he broke their kiss and pulled back slightly, looking down at her.

"Walt?" Her voice a breathy whisper near his ear, she arched to grind her hips into his.

A pause. "When...when you said there were things you'd imagined but never believed would ever happen...this is one of those things for me."

Vic smiled into his neck. "You fantasized about us doing this?"

Another pause. "Countless times."

A deep exhale of breath. "Me too."

A moment's hesitation, and then Walt lowered his head, hovering just before her waiting lips.

"Walt." This time her whisper wasn't a question.

Heart racing. Breathing synchronizing. Endorphins releasing.

Euphoric awesome.


	11. Chapter 11

The beeping of the alarm was an unwelcome sound to Vic's ears, and she fought desperately to stay asleep. But she finally gave up and fumbled to reach her phone on the bedside table to turn it off. With a groan, she collapsed back on the bed, and then stretched, her arm coming into contact with something warm and solid beside her. It took her only a second to realize what she had made contact with and she turned and brought her cheek to rest against Walt's shoulder.

"Morning." Walt's throaty voice sounded like her foggy brain felt.

"Morning." She slid her hand up his chest. "If we lie here and keep our eyes closed, can we just pretend that the alarm did not go off?"

Walt chuckled. "If you don't mind missing your flight, we can pretend all you want."

Vic groaned again. "Whose bright idea was it to book a flight that required us to get up on a Sunday before it's even light outside?"

"I won't name any names." He ran his knuckles along her forearm. "But I think the trouble you're having has less to do with how early you had to wake up and more to do with how late you went to bed."

"I did not _go_ to bed late."

"Correction. How late you went to _sleep_."

"So you're saying this is all your fault since you're the reason I stayed up so late?"

"I believe you were an equal contributor."

Vic pressed her lips into his shoulder. "Yeah. Plus, I did convince you to stay." She lifted her head with a grin, and propped herself up on her elbow. "But in all fairness, you told me to keep pushing you to ensure we are moving forward. I didn't want to cut you off on the progress you were making last night. Even if it meant my sleep suffered."

Walt held her eyes.

Her expression sobered. "You ok with...everything? I didn't rush you, did I? I don't want you to regret—"

"You didn't rush me. I wouldn't have stayed if I didn't want to."

She smiled. "You told Henry I was irresistible. You finally couldn't resist me last night?"

Walt laughed. "I believe I said irreplaceable." He brushed a few strands of her hair behind her ear. "But yeah...irresistible too."

"And last night...did you fulfill those _great expectations_ of yours?"

Walt paused. "_Exceeded_ those great expectations."

She grinned back at him and then lowered her head to the bed, keeping contact with his side. He rolled toward her, and placed a hand on her hip, and then slid it under her t-shirt.

"But speaking of fairness, there seems to be a mismatch in nakedness again. While I'm finally at that eight eighths naked goal you were aiming for, you seem to only be four eighths naked."

Closing her eyes as his hand slid further up her abdomen, Vic grinned. "I got a little cold last night. Plus, I wanted to wear the t-shirt while it still smelled like you."

A small moan escaped her lips as his hand made its way higher. She opened her eyes, finding Walt still facing her. His eyes sleepy, but watchful. Reaching out, she placed her left hand on his neck, her thumb tracing his earlobe. The corners of his mouth lifted, and she leaned in and pressed her lips to his. When she started to pull back he held her to him, his lips continuing to roam over hers. When his mouth finally released hers, he pulled back, holding her eyes as they both breathed in deeply. Her hand dropped to his chest.

"Morning."

She felt his greeting rumble through his chest and grinned. "You said that already."

"I wasn't fully awake then, so I'm saying it again."

Her smile stretched across her face. "Morning."

Applying pressure with the hand that was on his chest, she pushed Walt down on his back. Slipping her hand below the sheet, she lifted the material and swung her left leg over his waist to straddle him, taking a position similar to the one she had taken the previous morning.

Walt looked up at her, his eyes now alert. The corners of his mouth slowly rose, and he placed his hands on her hips. "I'm not sure you built in enough time for this...level of distraction, before we need to leave."

"I think there's always time for a little _distraction_, especially since we're going to have to be distraction-free for a week."

He chuckled. "Six days."

She grinned. "Right. Six days. And what's with calling me a distraction?"

He dropped his hands and propped himself up on his forearms. "Oh you're absolutely a distraction. You've been driving me to distraction...going on two-and-a-half years now."

Her grin grew. "I think we can distract ourselves for a little while. We don't need much time to get ready. I'm packed. You're just going to be slipping back into the clothes you wore yesterday."

He glanced at the stairway. "I have a change of clothes down in my truck."

Vic paused and then poked him the chest. "Walt Longmire, did you have designs of spending the night? And here I thought I had to convince you to stay, when you were planning to do it all along."

He laughed as he pulled her hand from his chest, clasping her fingers in his. "I just wanted to be prepared, in case I did stay. I didn't bring the bag in, so I wasn't making any assumptions."

She pulled her fingers from his grasp, resting her hands on the bed on either side of him as she leaned over him. "Is that what you were doing yesterday when I came back from my run and found you staring inside your truck? Were you trying to decide whether you should bring your bag in?"

Walt looked up at her. "Yep."

Vic shifted her weight, splaying the fingers of both her hands across his ribs, and then raised an eyebrow. "When you were packing your bag, what kind of 'spending the night' activities were you picturing? The kind we did on Friday night, or the kind we did last night?"

He blinked. "Both."

She grinned, an unmistakable twinkle in her eyes.

Walt pulled himself up to a seated position, his head almost level with hers. He brought his hands back to her waist and in one swift movement lifted the t-shirt over her head. Dropping the shirt on the bed, he wrapped his arms around her, molding their upper bodies together. One hand came to rest at her lower back, the other slid slowly up her spine.

Her arms encircled his shoulders, and then she leaned in, her lips near his ear. "Now we're even. Eight eighths naked all around."

He shook his head slightly. "Irresistible."

She pulled back and beamed at him. "And irreplaceable."

XX

"Holy hell. You can't go ten miles without hitting static and being forced to find another station." Hanging her sunglasses on the collar of her shirt, Vic leaned toward the radio and turned the knob to advance to the next station. Finding static, she turned it again.

Without looking up she reached over and lightly punched his shoulder. "You know, if you had a CD player in here, or an iPod adapter, we could listen to music steadily."

She glanced over at him, and saw that he was actively ignoring her, with his eyes still on the road, but the small grin on his lips gave him away.

She laughed lightly. "Ignoring me doesn't make me go away. I thought you would have learned that by now."

He continued to look straight forward but his grin grew broader.

As she advanced the tuner to the next station, a static-free song came through the speakers.

"Finally!" Vic sank into her seat, slipping her sunglasses back on and plopping her booted feet on the dashboard. Smiling at the sight of her untied laces, she thought about the morning's distractions that had caused them to run a little late and have to rush out of the house. Tying her shoelaces had clearly not been a high priority.

Pulling her left leg toward her to tie the lace in her boot, she rotated her head to the left. "How long have you had this truck?"

"A while."

She pulled on the bow to ensure it was tight, and then gave a quick look over at Walt. "A while like ten years?"

With a glance in her direction, he grinned. "It's a '96 Bronco. Got it new a few years before becoming Sheriff."

She switched legs, extending the left and bending the right. "Have you ever thought about trading it in for a newer model?"

With a pause on her bent leg, he turned back to look out the windshield. "Nope."

"Loyal through and through."

"Yep." His eyes found hers again. "Or set in my ways."

She laughed out loud as she repositioned her right foot back on the dashboard. "Or both."

His eyes stayed on her.

She squirmed a bit under his attention. "Why are you looking at me that way?"

His eyes flitted to the road and then back at her. "I'm looking at you in a way?"

"Yes, you definitely have a look on your face."

He smiled as he looked back to the road. "I...I just missed this. These past weeks."

"Missed what?"

"This. Driving together. You..."

"Chatting up a storm?"

His eyes drifted to her. "And laughing. And giving me a hard time."

"And you...silently bearing it, but glancing over at me from time to time with an expression that's part bemused, part annoyed, part entertained, and part..."

"Bewitched."

She grinned. "Is that what that last part was? I could never figure it out."

Eyes back on the road, he moved his left hand to the steering wheel, and lay his right hand next to hers on the middle console. "As I said earlier...driven to distraction."

"Well, it sounds like we were lucky you weren't so distracted you drove off the road." She grinned, and then pursed her lips. "Oh wait, you _have_ driven off the road. Only it wasn't because I was there distracting you. Sounds like you're just easily distracted."

He laughed as she leaned her head back against the headrest. She paused a moment and then looked over at him, her fingers sliding over his. "You better not get _distracted_ while I'm gone."

He looked over at her. "Remember? Loyal. And set in my ways. No other distractions for me."

"Good." She paused. "But I'm also talking about the 'not-taking-unnecessary-risks-and-putting-yourself-in-harm's way' kind of distractions." She squeezed his hand. "I want you in one piece...and still breathing...when I return. Doc Weston thinks you're lucky with all those chances you take. I have another word for it."

He flipped his hand over to thread his fingers through hers. "I'll try my best."

She grinned and then looked down when her cell phone started to ring. Digging her phone out of her pocket, she saw her brother's name displayed on the screen.

Releasing Walt's hand, she turned down the volume of the radio, hit the answer button and brought the phone to her ear.

"What's up?"

"What the hell! You don't call me back?"

"What the hell are you taking about? When did you call?"

"Friday night."

Vic bit down on her lower lip as she realized it was Michael who had called when she had decided not to answer her phone Friday night while Walt was over.

"Sorry. I was occupied. You didn't leave a message."

"I thought you would see that I called and wonder why I had called and then call me back to find out."

"What can I say? I'm a shitty sister sometimes."

Michael laughed. "Where are you right now?"

Vic looked out the window. "Still in the car. We're probably an hour away from Billings."

"Someone giving you a ride to the airport?"

Vic looked over at Walt. "Yep." She slid her hand back into his.

"Who?"

"A friend."

"Do I know this friend?"

"Do you know any of my friends out here?"

"Have I ever been invited to visit so that I could meet your friends?"

"I didn't know you would be up for it."

"Well, kind of a moot point now. Unless your friend is hot. Then you'll have to plan a visit to Wyoming at some point, and bring me with. Is she hot?"

Vic looked at Walt again. "Yep."

"Is she available?"

"Nope. Just got involved with someone."

Walt glanced her way, and she gave him a wink.

She returned to her call. "So what's up? Still planning on picking me up?"

"Yeah. What time do you arrive, again?"

"Around 6:30. Delta. From Minneapolis. I emailed you the flight number."

"You did? Ok, I'll take a look."

"Is that why you called on Friday?"

"That, and to see if you're up for going out to dinner when you land...to celebrate."

"What are we celebrating?"

"I found out I made detective on Friday."

"No way!" She could picture Michael smiling into the phone.

"A couple of the guys are going to join us. They want to see you."

"Who?"

"O'Donnell and Krupowski."

"God, I haven't seen them in close to...what...three years? How are they doing?"

"Good. Really good. O'Donnell got married a couple of months ago, and Krupowski just had his second."

"Shut up! Alex has two kids?"

"Can you believe it?"

"Shit. Time flies. I remember picking your sorry asses up on numerous nights when you two were too drunk to drive home from the bar. Now he's a father?"

"His staying out late drinking days are behind him. You should consider it an honor he's coming out to see you tonight."

"I think he's coming out to celebrate your achievement. I'm just an added bonus."

"No, he didn't agree to come out until he heard you were going to be there. He always had such a crush on you."

"Shut up. He did not."

"Think about how many times he came over for dinner, all the way up until you got married."

There was a pause.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to bring him up."

"That's ok."

There was another, longer pause.

"You doin' ok?"

"Depends what day you're asking."

"I'm asking today."

"Today I'm good."

"You up for dinner? If you're not, that's ok."

"I'm up for dinner."

She looked over at Walt again, her thumb tracing circles on his hand that was still clasped in hers. She knew she was going to need to talk to Michael about her plans to return to Wyoming. Might need to be sooner than later. "So, I'll see you when I land?"

"You bet. And tell your hot friend goodbye for me."

She laughed. "Sure thing. 'Bye."

Vic hung up her phone and stuffed it back in her pocket. She let go of Walt's hand to turn the radio's volume back up, and then sat back in her seat and looked over at him.

"My brother Michael says 'hello.' Or actually 'goodbye.' He wanted to know if you were hot and available. Of course he assumed you were a girl friend of mine."

He glanced her way, his eyebrow lifting.

"And he made detective, so we're going to go celebrate tonight with a couple guys he joined the academy with."

He stayed on her briefly and then returned his focus to his driving. "Your brother made detective?"

"Yep!"

"That's good."

She took in his profile.

"You're awfully quiet. Even for you. Something happen in the last few minutes?"

Walt briefly looked over at her, before returning his eyes to the road.

"Just tired. Someone kept me up late last night."

"And wore you out."

The sides of his mouth lifted. "Yep."

"Are you going to be ok driving back to Durant on your own?"

He looked back at her. "I'll be fine."

"You could pull over somewhere before you head back and take a snooze."

"That might make things worse."

She placed her hand on his thigh. "Well, I'll be thinking about you as I sleep on the plane."

He gave her a smile. "I doubt you'll be thinking of anything while you're sleeping."

She gave his thigh a squeeze and then started to slide her fingers upwards along his jeans. "Oh, I beg to differ. I believe you gave me a lot to _think_ about last night."

Arching an eyebrow, he laughed as he stilled her hand. "I'm not sure I'd call that _thinking_."

"So all those times I caught you staring at my ass or my legs and asked you 'what's up?' and you responded 'just thinking,' what was going on there?"

He refused the bait and continued looking forward, but his lower lip twitched, and she knew that a smile was lurking below the surface.

"Oh. And you owe me twenty bucks. Like I guessed, it was my brother who called Friday night to confirm what time my flight would be arriving."

Walt's forehead creased. "I don't remember actually agreeing to that bet."

"Your agreement was implied by your silence."

"I don't think that's what silence means when it comes to bets."

"Well, that's what silence means when it comes to Walt Longmire."

Walt shook his head, a grin visible.

The truck lurched slightly when one of the front tires hit a bump. Vic's feet slid a bit to the right as the radio turned to static.

"Seriously! That wasn't even ten miles." Pulling both feet from the dashboard, she removed her sunglasses and leaned toward the radio to adjust the tuner once again. "You're just lucky I find you so damn distracting, Walt, because the crappy pizza and shitty stations around here could drive a girl crazy."

XX

Walt pulled Vic's suitcase out of the back of the truck, brought it to the curb and extended the handle so that she'd be able to roll it into the airport. She grabbed his wrist as he let go of the bag.

"What's going on Walt? You were quieter than usual the past hour. I can tell it's more than just being tired."

He gently pulled his hand from hers and brought it to rest on the back of his neck.

She pulled his hat off his head so he couldn't hide behind it and dropped it on the passenger seat through the open window. "Are you having second thoughts about me staying?"

Walt leaned back against the side of the Bronco. "Are you sure about all this?"

A knot started to form in her stomach. "Am I sure about what? Us?"

"Well, I guess that's part of it."

The knot grew as she adjusted the backpack strap on her shoulder. "Part of what?"

Walt paused. "On the phone with your brother earlier you seemed..." He paused.

"I seemed?"

"You have a lot of history back in Philadelphia. And a lot of people in your life. Family, and friends, and colleagues. Out here..."

"I have people out here."

He looked up at her. "You didn't really choose Wyoming. And with Sean out of town for work a lot, the hours we spend doing the job we do, and the nature of small towns when it comes to how they embrace outsiders...you haven't really put down roots like you had in Philadelphia."

"I've only been here a couple years. You can only do so much in that time."

"You don't have the same support system or sense of connection you probably had back home."

"Are you saying you're not part of my support system?"

He looked to the side. "You said earlier this weekend that you're staying because of me. What if...what if I'm not enough? What if you're giving up a chance at a happier life?"

Vic released her hold on her suitcase's handle and then removed her backpack and set it on the ground.

Walt's eyes darted over to her. "What are you doing?"

"You're talking about something important, and I think it may take some time to discuss."

"Your flight..."

"We're fine. I'm not going to miss my flight."

He paused. Vic walked up to the truck and then turned around, leaning back on the vehicle, mirroring Walt's position.

She kicked at the curb. "You think you're not enough? You think I can't be happy here?"

"You seemed like you had a full life in Philadelphia."

"I have a life here too."

"In your conversation with your brother...you seemed so at ease with him. And you have shared history with people who are excited for you to return."

"It's easy talking to Michael because he's my brother. I've known him for over thirty years. And those are just my brother's friends. I know them through him, but we're not really close."

She looked at him. "Plus, I've always been comfortable with you."

"You have, but I...I don't want to be all you have here."

He looked over at her. "These past weeks, as your marriage ended and our relationship was strained, you didn't really have anyone here to talk to about what you were going through."

She looked back down at her boots.

Walt ran his hand along the hair at his neck. "I've been that person you've confided in before, but this time...since I was part of the problem, I couldn't be that for you."

She placed the sole of her left boot flat against the passenger door. She could see Walt watching her out of the corner of her eye.

"Vic, there are going to be times in the future where our relationship will be strained again. We saw how easily it happened yesterday. I want you to have people to turn to. You have that back in Philadelphia, but here..."

She nudged his upper arm with her shoulder. "You haven't exactly been all that good at turning to others for support."

"I'm not a good role model. But I still have people here. In addition to you. Henry. Cady. Lucian. Ruby. When I refuse help, they push back and give it anyway. I want you to have that."

She took in a deep breath and crossed her arms. "When Sean and I relocated here, in the back of my mind I thought of it as temporary. So I didn't invest in many relationships. I think I fought against it, in fact. In rebellion. I was pissed that we had to move."

She looked over at him. "But things with you...just happened. I didn't fight it with you. I found myself opening up. Letting you in. You made being here not so terrible."

"I want things to be more than 'not so terrible.' I want you to be happy, Vic."

"I am happy. Now. I'm saying you made things 'not so terrible' when I was initially unhappy about the move. And unhappy with how things were with Sean."

She uncrossed her arms, and dropped her right hand to her side, reaching out and wrapping a couple of her fingers around his left pinky. "You're my best friend, Walt. I know you've had Henry as your best friend for most of your life, but I've never really had that with someone before."

She looked at the entrance to the airport. "When Sean and I were having problems back in Philly, I didn't really talk to anyone about it. I knew a lot of people because of my family, and the neighborhood I grew up in, and school and the police department. But you can be surrounded by people, and live almost on top of your neighbors, and have access to endless choices of things to do, and still feel alone. Even though I had people in my life back in Philadelphia, I often felt separate from it all."

She inched her fingers across his until their palms were lined up and their hands clasped. "I was completely miserable when you were avoiding me these past weeks. And even more miserable when I decided to make the move back to Philadelphia. When I thought it was my only option."

She turned her head toward him. "You're worried that I am giving up on a chance to move back to Philly where you think I could be happier. If I were to move back there, I'd be giving up the person I feel most connected to. The one person I've actually been able to open up to. Moving back and losing you would make me anything but happy."

He looked over at her and held her gaze. Vic straightened, turned, and releasing his hand, stepped in between his legs so that she was facing him. Walt paused only a moment before pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her.

She leaned in to his chest. "Still freaking out?"

"I wasn't freaking out."

"Yeah you were. I was worried your feelings for me might have changed."

"Nope." He pulled her in closer.

"Or that you were worried that mine had."

"You're making a big decision...a big sacrifice...for me. I wanted to be sure you were sure."

She pulled back, looked up at him and brought her hand to rest on his cheek.

"It's not a sacrifice...me staying in Durant. I want you to know that I want to stay. I'm choosing happiness. You're a big piece of it, but not the entirety."

Walt bowed his head.

"You've taken on a lot of blame these last few years. And denied yourself happiness. I think sometimes you think you don't deserve what others want to do for you, but it's not true. And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Cady gave up her life in Philadelphia to move back here. That's a significant thing to do. And Henry held on to a few of Miller Beck's teeth as insurance...to protect you...and spent some time in jail and on trial because of it. That's big. They think you're worth it. I don't want you to think you don't deserve us. That you don't deserve me. You do."

She held his gaze. "Ok?"

He paused as his eyes searched hers. "Ok."

"Now kiss me like I'm going away for a week so I can go catch my flight."

"It's only six days."

She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I know I'll only be gone for six days, but I want you to kiss me like it will be seven. I want to—"

Before she could say another word he captured her mouth with his.

XX

Looking at the blue sky and billowing white clouds out her window Vic thought about the week to come. About what she was going to say to her family and how they were going to respond. Would she be able to hold off from telling them about Walt?

She thought about her return to Durant next Saturday. About picking up where she and Walt had left off. Would it be like no time had passed, or would their time apart have resulted in them taking a few steps back?

She thought about looking for a new place to live, and finishing her packing and finalizing her divorce. She thought about her first day back at work after having said her goodbyes. About her first confrontation with Mathias. About the first run-in with Omar. Would they all just slip back into their old routines, or would something be different between them?

She thought about Walt being eight eighths naked, and exceeding their great expectations, and achieving that euphoric awesome. She thought about pretend phone calls, and bold steps taken in her closet doorway, and lying with Walt on lawn chairs in her favorite spot.

She thought about the fact that Durant was becoming her home, and that she was not running away. She thought about Branch healing, and Ferg growing more confident, and Cady finding a new relationship and the group becoming whole again. She thought about being connected with Walt in a way she'd only fantasized about. She thought about writing letters she believed she'd never share, and then sharing them with him. She thought about choosing the possibility of happiness.

Vic unhooked the tray from the back of the seat in front of her and lowered it. She put her notebook down and opened it to the last entry.

_Henry,_

_Barlow is dead._

Vic stopped reading and looked out the window again. After a moment she took out her pen and turned to the first blank page.

_Henry,_

_Barlow is dead. His death isn't a loss, but his life significantly impacted the lives of those around me. I have seen the pain in Branch's eyes. I have seen the burden on Walt's shoulders. And the frustration in your stance. While his death may not be a loss for me, I think it will ultimately be a relief for those he hurt the most. And who knows who he could have hurt, or hurt further, in the future, if he had not been stopped. If his crimes had gone unchecked._

_Branch is still on suspension, and in counseling, and doing, surprisingly...better. If you'd asked me two months ago if I'd ever suggest Branch was in any condition to be serving as an Absaroka County deputy I would have laughed in your face and used some choice words to describe his batshit crazy behavior. But the death of David Ridges, as well as learning the truth about Barlow's involvement in Martha's death, have actually set Branch free. He spent his whole life in his father's shadow, always feeling like he would never measure up. But the truth is that Branch successfully carved a path of his own, and although it was often challenging, he is a much better man because if it. In time I think he's going to be ok._

_Ferg is back at his old desk, but taking on more responsibility. Which isn't surprising given the reduced staff size. And given the fact he finally stood up to Walt and gained some respect. And given the recent strain between Walt and me, and how it was affecting our ability to work together. Ferg really did step up. Not just in the past weeks, but for much of this year. While everyone was keeping things from him, and distracted by their own problems, Ferg kept a level-head, stood his ground, grew more confident and became the backbone the department needed._

_Cady is about to start a new job. One that is likely not going to be as exciting as the past months have been. Which is probably a good thing. She's a bit anxious about starting over at a new place. But, as you know, she will do fine. She will do better than fine. She is a Longmire through and through. And although I did not know Martha, from what I've heard of her, I'm sure Cady gets some of her tenacity, fairness and kindness from her mother. Cady was your and Walt's champion these past months, even when the outlook seemed dim. This next job will be a piece of cake._

_Ruby has been going about her business in her usual way. But with knowing looks and sympathetic eyes. Ruby saw into Walt's avoidance of me these last weeks in a way that Ferg did not. She really does know all. Although I never directly told her about the problems Sean and I were having, I'm sure she got a good read on the situation a long time ago, and was likely unsurprised by the divorce papers. She's probably been observing Walt and me dancing around each other as well, and isn't going to be surprised when we're ready to make our relationship public. Yes, I know you know there's something going on between Walt and me. And not just because he sought your advice and you gave him a talking-to. Thanks for that, by the way._

_Omar stopped by the office on my last day. He hasn't given up on pursuing me, but, surprisingly, his drop-by wasn't a final, last-ditch attempt to try to get me to stay, but rather a sincere goodbye. Flowers included. I'm not sure if he's going to be surprised that I'm staying, but he'll definitely take some of the credit for it. It's going to be fun to see how Walt deals with Omar's flirting, which is guaranteed to continue._

_Lucian has not been by to play chess with Walt since his brother's death, but I expect this to change in the near future. Walt is good at giving others the space they need. Or the space he needs. A little too good. But he finally got around to talking to Lucian about his brother's death, and Barlow's connection to Martha's murder. Although Walt can often delay confronting difficult personal situations, when it really matters, he takes action. My decision to stay in Durant is proof of that._

_Mathias has been surprisingly collaborative as of late, stopping by to share information or lending a hand when needed. No one had directly questioned his motives, until Friday, when I kind of suggested he felt guilty that he had refused to investigate some individuals and their involvement in Martha's murder, and that he's been trying to make amends. It didn't go over really well, but he also didn't dispute it. We'll see how long his 'good neighbor' behavior continues. Do you want to place a bet? I'm sure Walt and Ferg will want in on the action as well._

_You're probably wondering why I've been talking about everyone else instead of Walt. Instead of Walt and me. I know you're curious, and I'll get to that, but you've been gone for a month, and only back for a few days, so I thought I'd briefly catch you up on things. Knowing you, you probably know most of this already. But I've been writing you letters I never sent you while you were gone, so I thought I'd write you one that I'll actually give you now that you're back._

_Ok. Here's the part you probably wanted an update on._

_Walt was being an asshole._

_I'm sure he has told you something about it, and will share more with you in the future. I missed him terribly during this time. I missed what we had become to each other. Turns out he missed me too. When you stopped by my place on Saturday morning, you encountered Walt and me after we'd started to make some progress...talking, determining what we wanted to be to each other, starting to figure out how we can stop getting in our own way. I'll let Walt share the details with you, if he chooses...although you might need to pry a little bit. Progress is forward trending, but slow._

_On Walt's behalf, let me tell you how happy he is to have you back. He needs your counsel. He needs you to be just as stubborn with him as he is bound to be with you. Now he has the two of us to prevent any future overly-stubborn, uncommunicative, try-to-bear-it-all-himself behavior he tends to gravitate toward._

_Thank you for your suggestion to handwrite my letters. As I mentioned on Thursday, it was definitely cathartic. You also hinted (or more than hinted) that I should let the recipients of my letters actually see them, but I repeatedly and adamantly refused. Until Friday, when I decided to let Walt read them. It was really hard to do, feeling that vulnerable and exposed by letting someone in, but I finally realized what you knew all along. I really needed to do it. For me. For the two of us._

_A little over six weeks ago, after an exchange with Walt, I believed he thought of me as just a replaceable part. It was due to some miscommunication on both our parts. I dwelled on that for weeks, and only shared how I felt about it in my letters, that no one saw but me. It turned out that what Walt felt about me was in fact the opposite. If I'd only talked to him sooner...I could have cut down on a lot of pain._

_I've decided to stop writing letters in my notebook. I'm going to try talking instead. Sharing personal matters does not come easy for me, but I have motivation now, so we'll see how it goes._

_As my last act, as I mentioned above, I'm actually going to give you this letter. And if there's ever a time I need to vent or seek some advice, I hope your offer for help still stands. I look forward to getting to know Walt better, and expect your point of view will be very informative. As you said, you've had forty years of practice with him!_

_Vic_

-The End-

* * *

**Thanks for sticking with this story! I know some of you wanted me to keep going, but I had originally envisioned this story to take place over the seventy-two hours leading up to Vic's trip back to Philadelphia. There were many times I almost changed my mind, and thought about scrapping my initial plan and continuing the story, as I have been able to picture their phone calls while Vic is gone, their reunion at the airport when Walt picks her up, their conversation on the drive back to Durant, her first day back at work, etc., but even though I had these scenes in mind, I couldn't see an ending if I didn't end it here. I worried that if I continued, I would write past my welcome, or abandon the story at some point, if there wasn't an endpoint I was heading toward. I did love writing about these versions of the characters and their developing relationship, so you never know...I could continue their saga if another story arc comes to mind. But for now, I hope you enjoyed this ending. Thanks for all the feedback along the way!**


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